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James F. "Jima Coo • er, M.D. k
By Bill Youngkin "I landed in Japan as part of the U.S. occupation forces
Special to The Eagle and served aboard the USS Dorchester which was used to
shuttle supplies to the ships in the harbor. I understand now
If you have been involved in a veteran event, whether that it has been converted into a fishing vessel operating out
it involved the VFW or American Legion in the last few of Tacoma, Washington. Aboard the Dorchester I received my
decades, chances are you have met Dr. Jim Cooper of Bryan. first nickname, the 'Shower King: That was because I held
And, if you were his patient, he probably inquired about your the key that had to be inserted to turn on the fresh water
service status and had you join either or both organizations showers.
before you left his office. There is no greater advocate for
veterans in the Brazos Valley than Dr. Jim Cooper. "In 19461 returned to Portland, Oregon to be discharged.
Life for Dr. Cooper began eighty three years ago in I was one of the youngest with the least amount of time of
Farmersville, Louisiana. He was the son of a Baptist minister service. When I left the ship we were down to about eight
andasaresult, theymovedfromchurchtochurchthroughout sailors. I came home to Greenfield and enrolled at Union
the south. He ended up and graduated from school in University, a small Baptist university in Jackson, Tennessee.
Greenfield, Tennessee in 1945. According to Dr. Cooper, "Two The boys who were attending and planning on being a
of my buddies and I volunteered to join the Navy. We had our minister had been exempted from the draft. That was about
parents'permission as we were only seventeen, but were not half of the student body. The rest of the student body was
allowed to go on active duty until we turned eighteen. In the grizzled veterans going to school on the GI Bill. At one end of
summer of 1945 we all had turned eighteen and the three of the dorm hall you might have a prayer meeting in progress
us were sent to Great Lakes Naval Station for boot camp. while at the other end would be a 'craps' game in full swing.
i Bill I was in boot camp, my buddy and I from home, It was a unique student body.
Bill Shannon, auditioned for what was called the Blue Jacket "After my second year I applied and was accepted to
Choir. Much to our surprise, we were selected. We sang at
the Admiral's Church Service and other special events. The medical school at the University of Tennessee. I entered
Navy also had a great symphony at Great Lakes comprised medical school in 1949 and graduated in 1952. The Korean
of professional musicians. Some were very famous. The Navy War was in full swing sol volunteered and was commissioned
decided to do a short subject film to be shown as a prelude into the Navy as a medical officer, Lieutenant JG. I served at
to movie audiences. They used the symphony and our choir the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. I tended the war
in the movie and it was titled, 'Here Comes the Navy: The wounded there as well as national dignitaries who also
narrator for the performance was Durwood Kirby who later used Bethesda, as they do today. I later became the medical
became a part of the Gary Moore Show on television after officer aboard a destroyer, the USS The Sullivans, named
the war. I was able to view it several years after I returned after the five brothers who perished aboard the Juno during
from Japan. WWII. Our job was to locate submarines, especially the
"We received orders to Shoemaker, California for Russians and track their movement. We tried to stay close
deployment for the Pacific theatre of operations. We were enough that they knew we were there and we knew where
about to leave when word came of the dropping of a thing they were.
called the A bomb. We had no idea what that was but, when
the second one was dropped, Japan surrendered. Everyone "After I was discharged, I began my private practice of
was jubilant but our orders did not change. medicine. I decided to join my brother, Dr. O.C. Cooper, who
"I boarded the USS Admiral Benson in San Francisco and had served in the Army during WWII and who was now
headed to Japan, sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge. It practicing medicine in Bryan. This is where I have practiced
took thirty eight days to reach Japan, but it was a journey medicine ever since. It is a community and people that
that we came close to not completing. On the way we sailed I cherish. I still have a limited practice, primarily as a part
to Iwo Jima. I couldn't believe that such a small place caused of the FAA medical exam team but that is something I will
the death of so many men. Our next stop before Japan was probably give up soon.
to be Okinawa. Before we could reach Okinawa, we became "I recently toured San Francisco with two of my children.
caught in one of the largest and fiercest typhoons to ever W took a harbor tour aboard a tourist boat. Sailing up to
hit the Pacific. It was nip and tuck as to whether we would that Golden Gate Bridge brought tears to my eyes then, as it
be able to stay afloat. We rode the storm out and when does today telling you this. I thought then and do now, of all
we pulled into the harbor at Okinawa, over two hundred those who sailed under it going to war and those who were
American ships and boats were capsized in the harbor.
never able to sail back under it"
"Several years later after the war and after I had moved
to Bryan, probably in the late 70's or early 80's, I learned that Dr. Cooper's name can be found on the Brazos Valley
Travis Bryan, Jr. and George Ferreri, both from Bryan, were Veteran's Memorial. For more information, to make a
also aboard that same ship. They both felt we weren't going contribution, or if you know a WWII or Korea War Veteran
to survive that typhoon. A lot of sailors died in that storm whose story needs to be told, contact the BWM at www.
and we all thought we would, too. veteransmemoriaLorg or Bill Youngkin at (979) 776.1325.