Frederick Cooper, Jr. (Ensign) (1945)
COOPER, REED, ENGLAND
Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 4/1/2007 at 15:12:16
Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
March 13, 1946ENSIGN FREDERICK COOPER, JR. LISTED AS KILLED IN ACTION
Had Been Missing in Action Since Iwo Jima Invasion Last February
Ensign Frederick Cooper, Jr., U.S. navy, formerly of Truro, who had been missing in action since the invasion of Iwo Jima a year ago, has officially declared to have been killed in action at that time, according to information received by his parents, the Rev. and Mrs. Frederick Cooper of Truro.
The official communication, dated from Washington, D. C., on Feb. 28, was received from James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy. It read as follows:
"Your son, Ensign Frederick Cooper, Jr., U.S.N.R., has been carried on the official records of the navy department in the status of missing in action as of Feb. 17, 1945. The ship he was aboard, the U.S.S. LCI (G) 449, was engaged in supporting the landing of underwater demolition teams on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, when it was struck on the bow by an enemy shell.
Your son was blown off the bow and into the water. Two days later, the American invasion of Iwo Jima was launched which resulted in the capitulation of that island within a relatively short period. Ships in the area and ground forces which landed on Iwo Jima failed to locate any trace of your son, and to date, no further information has been received by the navy department concerning his fate.
In view of the strong probability that your son lost his life during the explosion, or when he was blown off the bow of the ship, because no trace of him was found by other ships in the vicinity or by ground forces which landed on Iwo two days later, because no official or unconfirmed reports of his survival have been received, because his name has not appeared on any lists of personnel liberated from Japanese prisoner of war camps, and in view of the length of time that has elapsed since he was reported missing in action, I am reluctantly forced to the conclusion that he is deceased...."
Ensign Cooper was 25 years old at the time of his death. He lived in Truro from 1934 until 1938, while his father was serving as minister there. Before entering service he had been coach at the Orange City high school.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by his wife of Orange City, a small daughter, Rebecca, and two sisters, Mrs. Wendell Reed of Winterset and Mrs. Harry England of Orange City.
Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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