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Damon W. Cooper
Damon W. Cooper
	Damon Warren "Hutch" Cooper
Nickname(s)	"Hutch"
Born	April 27, 1919; Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Died	November 19, 1985 (aged 66); Springfield, Kentucky
Place of burial	Saint James Cemetary; Springfield, Kentucky
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1941 - 1974 (33 years)
Rank	Vice Admiral
Commands	USS Pine Island (AV-12); USS Ticonderoga (CV-14); Task Force 71; Task Force 74; Task Force 77; Director of Naval Reserve (CNR)
Engagements	World War II; Korean War; Vietnam War
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Distinguished Flying Cross; Bronze Star Medal; Air Medal; Navy Commendation Medal

Vice Admiral Damon Warren Cooper (April 27, 1919 – November 19, 1985) was a United States Naval Aviator and the first Chief of Naval Reserve. Cooper led the first attacks of the Vietnam War at the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Incident while Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga (CV-14). In 1973, serving as Commanding Officer of Task Force 77, the American aircraft carrier force in the Western Pacific,

Early life and career

Warren Cooper was born in Elizabethtown, KY, to Damon M. (1876-1968) and Ada McDermott (1885-?) Cooper,^[2]^[3] on April 27, 1919. His father, a Knights of Columbus Kentucky State Deputy, was the first Grand Knight of the Council #1455 in Elizabethtown, KY, holding the position from 1909-1912, and again from 1935-1936. Schrode, George M. (1993). Knights of Columbus: Kentucky State Council. Turner Publishing Company. p. 128. ISBN 1563111144. Retrieved 31 July 2011.^[4] Following a brief period at Western Kentucky State Teachers College at Bowling Green, Cooper was admitted to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland on June 24, 1937.^[5]^[6] Upon graduating from Annapolis in 1941, he was commissioned an ensign on February 7, 1941.

World War II and peacetime

Following graduation from the Naval Academy in 1941, he joined the USS Waters (DD-115) ^[7] and, in February 1943, was detached for flight training at at Pensacola, Florida. Cooper was designated a naval aviator in September 1943. His first World War II combat duty as a naval aviator was performed with Torpedo Squadron 24 which he commanded from August 1944 until August 1945. For outstanding services while in such command, including 60 combat missions in the Ryukyus area, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two gold stars and the Air Medal with eight gold stars.

VADM Cooper was subsequently Commanding Officer, Training Squadron 24 (VT-24) and, in September 1945 he reported as navigator on board the USS Kasaan Bay (CVE-69). From July 1946 to September 1947 was a student at the Naval Intelligence School, Washington, D.C. and served as intelligence officer on the staff of Commander Air Force, Pacific Fleet and in October 1949 assumed duty as Assistant Training Officer and Officer in Charge of Fighter Squadron ATU-4 at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station,Cabaniss Field, Corpus Christi, Texas.

Korean War and peacetime

His first duty in connection with combat operations in the Korean Conflict was performed as intelligence officer aboard theUSS Philippine Sea (CV-47) from August 1950 to January 1951. For meritorious service in that capacity he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V". After an assignment as intelligence officer on the staff of Commander Carrier Division 5, he reported in September 1951 as commanding officer of Fighter Squadron VF-821 aboard the USS Essex (CV-9). For meritorious service as commanding officer of this squadron he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V." He also was awarded gold stars to his Air Medal for completing 20 missions during the period of August 1, 1952, to January 2, 1953.

He served in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations as head of the Aviation Armament Section in the Air Warfare Division from March 1953 to February 1955. He next commanded Air Task Group 3, aboard the USS Shangri-La (CV-38), and in June 1956 reported as Operations Officer on staff of Commander Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. He joined the attack carrier USS Independence (CVA-62) as executive officer when she was commissioned January 10, 1959, and served in her until detached, in July 1959, for duty as commanding officer of Attack Squadron 44 (VF-44).^[8]^[9]

He was a student at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, from July 1957 to June 1958 and at the National War College,Washington, D.C., from July 1960 to July 1961. Following completion of instruction at the National War College, he served in the Programs Branch, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.

Vietnam War

In April 1963, he assumed command of the USS Pine Island (AV-12) and in July 1964 reported as commanding officer of the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14). He was awarded the gold star in lieu of the second Navy Commendation Medal for meritorious service in the latter duty.

"Hutch was a diamond in the rough, the salt of the earth-...old human Hutch had wound up with the stars after all. It made you feel good about your navy."

James B. Stockdale, February 12, 1973^[10]

Gulf of Tonkin Incident

While commander of the "Tico," then CAPT, Cooper ordered the first strikes against North Vietnamese navy. On 2 August 1964, while on a DESOTO patrol in the Tonkin Gulf, the destroyer USS Maddox (DD-731) engaged 3 North Vietnamese Navy P-4 torpedo boats from the 135th Torpedo Squadron, commanded by Le Duy Khoai. After fighting a running gun and torpedo battle, in which theMaddox fired over 280 5-inch shells, and the torpedo boats expended their 6 torpedoes (all misses) and hundreds of rounds of 14.5mm machine gun fire; the combatants broke contact. As the torpedo boats turned for their North Vietnamese coastline, four F-8 Crusader jet fighter bombers from the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) arrived, and immediately attacked the retreating torpedo boats.

Detached from the Ticonderoga, he was ordered to the Bureau of Naval Personnel where he served as Assistant Director for Captain Detail (Aviation) from June 1965 to July 1966, then as Deputy Assistant Chief for Personnel Control. In December 1966 he assumed command of Patrol Force 7th Fleet/Taiwan Patrol Force/Fleet Air Wing 1. For exceptional service in such assignment he was awarded the Legion of Merit. He was advanced to flag rank as rear admiral, to date from July 1, 1967.

In August 1969, Rear Admiral Cooper reported as Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel for Personnel Control. For his exceptional meritorious service during his tenure in that capacity from August 1968 to August 1970, he was awarded a gold star in lieu of the second Legion of Merit.

"When the going is rough, you stand at the head of the line."

— VADM D. W. Cooper (1972).^[11]

He assumed command of Carrier Division 9 in August 1970 and in March 1971 reported as Commander Attack Carrier Striking Force, 7th Fleet/Commander Carrier Division 5. He was advanced to vice admiral, to date from August 16, 1972. For this duty he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

On April 12, 1973, Vice Admiral Cooper assumed the duty as Chief of Naval Reserve with headquarters in New Orleans, Louisiana, (position created as Director of Naval Reserve) on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. He held the position until his retirement on 01 June 1974

Personal information

A native of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Cooper was married to the former Anne Porter Leverich of Olympia, Washington, and had three daughters, Jeanne Fleetwood Richey (Summerville, Florida), the late Anne Michele Davidson (Bend, Oregon), and Mary Patricia Prebilsky (Puyallup, Washington), and a son, John Rockwell Cooper (Mukilteo, Washington). Among their four kids, there are 16 grandchildren. ^[12] Awarded the Naval Order of the United States insignia #05123, Commandery SWS.^[13] VADM Cooper died on 19 November 1985 of Mesothelioma.^[14]

Assignments

Carter Ham

Commanding Officer, Torpedo Squadron 24, August 1944 to August 1945
Intelligence Officer, USS Philippine Sea (CV-47), August 1950 to January 1951
Intelligence Officer, Carrier Division 5,
Commanding Officer, Fighter squadron 821, September 1951 to February 1953
- USS Essex (CV-9)
Head of the Aviation Armament Section, Air Warfare Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, March 1953 to February 1955
Commanding Officer, Air Task Group 3
- USS Shangri-La (CV-38)
Operations Officer on staff of Commander Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, June 1956 to
Executive Officer, USS Independence (CVA-62), January 10, 1959 to July 1959 ^[15]
Student, Naval War College, Newport, RI, from July 1957 to June 1958
Commanding Officer, Attack Squadron 44 (VA-44), 14 July 1959 - 22 July 1960^[16]^[17]
Student, National War College, Washington, DC, from July 1960 to July 1961
Staff, Programs Branch, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.
Commander, USS Pine Island (AV-12), 1963 - 1964
Commander, USS Ticonderoga (CV-14), 3 July 1964 - 14 May 1965
- Gulf of Tonkin incident, 03 - 5 August 1964
Assistant Director for Captain Detail (Aviation), Bureau of Naval Personnel, June 1965 to July 1966
Deputy Assistant Chief for Personnel Control, Bureau of Naval Personnel
Command Officer, Patrol Force 7th Fleet/Taiwan, Patrol Force/Fleet Air Wing 1, December 1966 to July 1967
Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel for Personnel Control, August 1968 to August 1970^[18]
USS Enterprise (CV-65), Flagship (until 20 January 1972) ^[19]
- Commander, Carrier Division 5 (ComCarDiv-5), August 1970
Commander, Attack Carrier Striking Force, 7th Fleet/Commander Carrier Division 5, March 1971
- Commander, Task Force 71
- Commander, Task Force 74 ^[20]
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), Flagship (Until 23 October 1972)
- Commander, Task Force 77 (3 March 1971 - ) ^[21]^[22]
USS Enterprise (CV-65), Flagship
- Commander, Carrier Striking Force 7th Fleet (ComCarStrFor7thFlt) (until 27 February 1973)^[23]
Chief of Naval Reserve, headquarters in New Orleans, Louisiana, 12 April 1973 - 01 June 1974 ^[24]
- Director of Naval Reserve on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations^[25]^[26]

Awards and Decorations

United States Naval Aviator Badge

	Navy Distinguished Service Medal
	Legion of Merit with 1 award star
	Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 award stars
	Bronze Star Medal with Combat V
	Air Medal with 13 award stars
	Air Medal
	Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V and award star
	Navy Presidential Unit Citation
	Navy Unit Commendation with award star
	Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
	Meritorious Unit Citation
	World War II Victory Medal
	National Defense Service Medal with award star
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam)
	Philippine Liberation Medal
	American Defense Service Medal with service star
	American Campaign Medal
	Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal with 4 service stars
	China Service Medal (1945-1957)
	Korean Service Medal with 5 service stars
	Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
	United Nations Service Medal (Korea)