Albert Dustin Cooley (October 11, 1900 – December 10, 1976) was a highly decorated Naval aviator of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

, who reached the rank of

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

. For his actions during the

Battle of Guadalcanal The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by the United States, was an Allied offensive against forces of the Empire of Japan in the Solomon Islands during the Pacific Theater of W ...

, he received the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...

, the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

military's second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat. Cooley completed his 33-year Marine Corps career as commanding general of the

1st Marine Aircraft Wing The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa Island, Okina ...

Early career

Albert D. Cooley was born on October 11, 1900, in

Billings, Montana Billings is the most populous Lists of populated places in the United States, city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, i ...

, and following high school graduation enlisted in the Marine Corps in April 1921. After three years of enlisted service, Cooley reached the NCO ranks and received a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal for his ''Exemplary behavior and efficiency''. He was commissioned a second lieutenant and attached to

the Basic School The Basic School (TBS) is where all newly commissioned and appointed (for warrant officers) United States Marine Corps officers are taught the basics of being an "Officer of Marines." The Basic School is located in Stafford County, Virginia to ...

Philadelphia Navy Yard The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy shipyard and was historically important for nearly two centuries. Construction of the original Philadelphia Naval Shipyard began during the American Revolution in 1776 at Front ...

for officers' training. Following graduation in July 1925, Cooley was ordered as an infantry officer to the Marine Corps Base San Diego,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, where he remained until April 1926. He was then attached to the Marine detachment aboard the battleship USS ''Mississippi'' and took part in patrol cruises along the West Coast. Cooley was promoted to the rank of

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

and requested flight training in February 1928 for which he was ordered to

Naval Air Station San Diego Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado ( ...

. He was designated a naval aviator in January 1929 and served during the next four years with Marine Squadron San Diego, as an instructor at

Naval Air Station Pensacola Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola (formerly NAS/KNAS until changed circa 1970 to allow Nassau International Airport, now Lynden Pindling International Airport, to have IATA code NAS), "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United Sta ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

and as

executive officer An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer ...

of Marine Squadron aboard the aircraft carrier USS ''Lexington''. Cooley returned to San Diego in August 1933 and served again as a squadron commander and later as group operations officer. He reached the rank of

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

and was attached to the Junior Course, Amphibious Warfare School within Marine Corps Schools, Quantico in June 1936. Upon the graduation in June 1937, Cooley was attached to the

Bureau of Aeronautics The Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) was the U.S. Navy's material-support organization for naval aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" (''i.e.'', responsibility) for the design, procurement, and support of naval aircraft and rela ...

under Rear Admiral Arthur B. Cook and served in that capacity until June 1940. In July 1940, Cooley was attached to the Marine Aircraft Group 1 on Quantico and later commanded Marine Observation Squadron 1 during Caribbean Maneuvers.

World War II

Guadalcanal

Following the Japanese

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...

in December 1941, Cooley was promoted to the rank of major and assumed command of newly activated Marine Aircraft Group 14 at Camp Kearny,

in March of the following year. He spent the next six months with training of his squadron and subsequently embarked for the South Pacific in August 1942. Cooley was meanwhile promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in May of that year. Cooley and his squadron arrived as a part of

under the command of Major General Roy S. Geiger on

New Caledonia New Caledonia ( ; ) is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, southwest of Vanuatu and east of Australia. Located from Metropolitan France, it forms a Overseas France#Sui generis collectivity, ''sui generis'' collectivity of t ...

at the end of August 1942 and immediately engaged in fighting over

Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomons by area and the second- ...

. Cooley also held second hat as commanding officer of 1st Marine Wing Bomber Command and personally led several attacks against Japanese ships and aircraft between September 23 and December 18, 1942. He displayed extraordinary heroism in action and received the

. His official citations reads: MajGen Roy Geiger awarding Navy Cross to Col Cooley and Silver Star to MTSgt Dermott H

Later service during World War II

In January 1943, Cooley was appointed Supply officer of the

and also commanded simultaneously his old Marine Aircraft Group 14 until April of that year. He was promoted to the rank of

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

at the same time and ordered back to the United States, because Major General Geiger, 1st Marine Wing commander, was appointed Director of Marine Corps Aviation at

Headquarters Marine Corps The Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The funct ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, and requested Cooley as his deputy. He served as assistant director of Marine Corps Aviation until October 1944, when he was ordered to

Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara (MCAS Santa Barbara) was a United States Marine Corps air station that was located in Goleta, California north of Los Angeles during World War II. It was also known as the Goleta Air Station in the 194 ...

, California, and appointed commander of newly activated Marine Carrier Groups, Aircraft,

Fleet Marine Force, Pacific The Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (FMFPAC) is the largest maritime landing force in the world. Its units are spread across the Pacific Ocean and reports to the United States Pacific Command. It is headquartered at Camp H. M. Smith, MCB Camp H. ...

. In this capacity, Cooley directed the training and organization of Marine aircraft groups for close air support missions from navy carriers and subsequently received the

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious a ...

for this service. Cooley was subsequently appointed commanding officer of Marine Air Support Group 48 in February 1945 and sailed again to the Pacific Area in May of that year. He commanded elements of his air group during the

Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa Island, Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army during the Pacific War, Impe ...

and then during the attack on Borneo, Philippines. In September, 1945, before the Japanese surrendered

Formosa Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The island of Taiwan, formerly known to Westerners as Formosa, has an area of and makes up 99% of the land under ROC control. It lies about across the Taiwan Strait f ...

, Cooley landed on that island with a handful of Marines from Air Support Group 48 to supervise the removal of Allied prisoners of war. The Japanese on the island had given no assurance that they would not resist, and the American ships were forced to find their own way through enemy minefields before the Japanese began to cooperate. He subsequently received a letter of commendation for his handling of that difficult assignment.

Later service

Colonel Cooley was ordered back to the United States and attached to the Senior Course at

Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associa ...

in June 1946 and graduated one year later. He was then again appointed to the post of assistant director of Marine Corps aviation under Major General

Field Harris Field Harris CBE (September 18, 1895 – December 21, 1967) was a highly decorated lieutenant general in the United States Marine Corps, who commanded the Marine Aviation Units during World War II and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing during the Korean ...

and remained in that capacity until May 1948, when he assumed command of Marine Corps Air Station Quantico. In early 1950, Cooley was appointed commanding officer of the Junior School at Quantico, and while in that capacity, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in December 1950. In April 1951, Cooley was appointed assistant director of Marine Corps aviation for the third time and served under Major General Clayton C. Jerome until May 1952. He then served as commanding officer of the

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (abbreviated as 3rd MAW) is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, ...

at Marine Corps Air Station Miami,

and received his promotion to the rank of major general in September 1953. He was ordered to

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

in December 1953 where he assumed command of

. Cooley and his wing did not see much combat and took part only in patrolling along the

Korean Demilitarized Zone The Korean Demilitarized Zone () is a heavily militarized strip of land running across the Korea, Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in half. It wa ...

. He returned to the United States at the beginning of April 1954 and after several months of medical leave, Cooley retired from the Marine Corps after 33 years of active service in August of that year. He was advanced to the rank of

on the retired list for having been specially commended in combat.

Retirement

Following his retirement from the military, Cooley settled with his wife in

Coronado, California Coronado (Spanish language, Spanish for "Crowned") is a resort town, resort city in San Diego County, California, United States, across San Diego Bay from downtown San Diego. It was founded in the 1880s and incorporated in 1890. Its population ...

, and was an active member of the

Rotary Club Rotary International is one of the largest Service club, service organizations in the world. The self-declared mission of Rotary, as stated on its website, is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, go ...

there and one of three founders of the Coronado Municipal Golf Course. He was also a member of the board of trustees for the

Marine Military Academy The Marine Military Academy (MMA) is a private college preparatory academy located in Harlingen, Texas, US, offering a curriculum for boys in grades 7–12 plus one year of post-graduate study. The school was founded in 1965. Its traditions a ...

Harlingen, Texas Harlingen ( ) is a city in Cameron County, Texas, Cameron County in the central region of the Rio Grande Valley (Texas), Rio Grande Valley of the southern part of the U.S. state of Texas, about from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The city co ...

. Lieutenant General Albert D. Cooley died on December 10, 1976, and is buried at Glen Abbey Memorial Park.

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Lieutenant General Albert D. Cooley:

References

: {{DEFAULTSORT:Cooley, Albert D. 1900 births 1976 deaths People from Billings, Montana Naval War College alumni United States Naval Aviators United States Marine Corps generals United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Recipients of the Air Medal