World War II Honoree

Claud Cornelius Cooper

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Andalusia, Alabama

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Gunner’s Mate Third Class. He was inducted into the United States Navy January 4, 1940 at Birmingham, Alabama, with recruit training at the U.S. Naval Training Station San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from boot camp and gunnery training, he was transferred to the USS Neosho Tanker/Oiler, AO-23 for duty as a gunner. The Tanker and her shipmates participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea against the Imperial Japanese Naval Aviators (Battle Dates: May 4-8, 1942) in the South Pacific Theater of Operations. On the Eighth, at 11:00 hours the Tanker came under attack, and she went down after sustaining multiple bomb strikes. Reported missing in action on the day of the attack. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the American Cemetery at Fort William-McKinley in Manila, Philippine Islands. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Carolina Baptist Church Cemetery in Andalusia, Alabama. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.