Joshua Winfred Cooper
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy

Joshua Winfred Cooper was born on 25 November 1906 in Surry, VA.

Cooper graduated from the U.S. Navy Academy in 1927. He was Commanding Officer of the USS Palmer (DD-161) from February of 1942 until 14 December 1943. He next became the Commanding Officer of the Destroyer USS Bennion (DD-662) when, in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, he participated in night torpedo attacks against advancing columns of enemy battleships, cruisers and destroyers. He was awarded the Navy Cross for heroism as he directed his ship through intense and prolonged enemy gunfire to launch a well-executed attack and succeeded in retiring without damage to his vessel. His efforts led to the decisive defeat of the Japanese advance.

After his service aboard Bennion, he was on the staff of Amphibious Group Nine, participating in amphibious landings in the Philippine Islands. He later served with the Bureau of Ordnance and was the Commanding Officer of Destroyer Squadron Twelve in the Atlantic.

After World War II, he had various staff assignments and taught ROTC at Harvard University. During the Korean War, he was Captain of the Battleship USS Iowa, the flagship of the U.S. 7th Fleet. In the late 1950s Cooper headed the Naval section of the U.S. Military Aid Group.

In 1963, Cooper was promoted to Rear Admiral and retired the same year.

Death and Burial

Rear Admiral Joshua Winfred Cooper died on 21 February 1998 in Alexandria, VA. He is buried at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, MD.