World War II Honoree

John Cooper West

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Woodward, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1944. VOLUNTEERED AND WAS SELECTED TO ATTEND OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL (OCS) IN FLORIDA, GRADUATED AND WAS COMMISSIONED AN ENSIGN. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER DURING THE WAR, INCLUDING AT IWO JIMA, IN THE VOLCANO ISLANDS IN THE BONIN ISLANDS ARCHIPELAGO, IN THE NORTH WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN AREA. ALSO SERVED AT OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS, IN THE NORTH WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN AREA. AFTER THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE ALLIED UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS ON AUGUST 14, 1945, AND FORMALLY SURRENDERED ON BOARD THE BATTLESHIP MISSOURI (BB-63) IN TOKYO HARBOR ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945, PRESIDENT TRUMAN PROCLAIMED VICTORY OVER JAPAN DAY (V-J DAY). HE WAS AMONG THE FIRST AMERICAN MILITARY PERSONNEL TO ENTER JAPAN. AWARDED THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL WITH 'ASIA' CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946, WITH THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.