Albert D. Cooley

Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Cooley was promoted to the rank of major and assumed command of newly activated Marine Aircraft Group 14 at Camp Kearny, California 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.[1]

Cooley and his squadron arrived as a part of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing under the command of Major General Roy S. Geiger on New Caledonia at the end of August 1942 and immediately engaged in fighting over Guadalcanal. 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 Navy Cross. His official citations reads:

Colonel Albert Cooley receiving the Navy Cross in early 1943 from MajGen Roy Geiger for actions at Guadalcanal.

After months of strenuous combat had seriously depleted the number of men and amount of equipment, Lieutenant Colonel Cooley reorganized and skillfully built up the strength of his command. Leading a group of dive bombers and fighters on 12 October in a determined raid against enemy destroyers, he gallantly pressed home the attack, personally scoring a hit on one of the Japanese ships. On 14 October, with all but one of his planes put out of commission by terrific fire from enemy surface vessels, Lieutenant Colonel Cooley, in spite of intermittent bombing and shellfire from hostile artillery, worked tirelessly to direct the repair of damaged planes, with the result that twelve additional aircraft were placed in commission on that day in time to strike repeatedly at the enemy ship-borne invasion forces. Again from 11 to 15 November the Aviation Units under his command attacked the Japanese, destroying two cruisers, seven airplanes, and twelve transports contributing in great part to the success of our engagement in that area. Lieutenant Colonel Cooley's exceptional skill, leadership, and indomitable fighting spirit were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.[3]

In January 1943, Cooley was appointed Supply officer of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and also commanded simultaneously his old Marine Aircraft Group 14 until April of that year. He was promoted to the rank of colonel 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 in Washington, D.C., and requested Cooley as his deputy.[1]

He served as assistant director of Marine Corps Aviation until October 1944, when he was ordered to Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara, California, and appointed commander of newly activated Marine Carrier Groups, Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. 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 for this service.[1][4]

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 and then during the attack on Borneo, Philippines.

In September, 1945, before the Japanese surrendered Formosa, 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.[1]