Thomas Ross Cooley (June 26, 1893 - November 28, 1959) was a decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of Vice Admiral. A veteran of two world wars, he distinguished himself as commanding officer of battleship USS Washington during Mariana Islands campaign and later as Commander, Battleship Division Six during the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Following the War, Cooley served as Commander, United States Fourth Fleet and Commandant, Naval Station Newport and completed his service as Deputy Commander, Western Sea Frontier and Deputy Commander Pacific Reserve Fleet with headquarters in San Francisco, California in June 1952. Early career Thomas R. Cooley was born on June 26, 1893 in Grass Valley, California, the son of Pianos commission agent, Thomas R. Cooley Sr. and Mary Adelaide Cota. He graduated from the high school in his hometown and earned an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland in summer 1913. While at the Academy, Cooley was active in German Class committee and was nicknamed "Ross" and "Sosh". Among his classmates were future four star admirals Donald B. Duncan, Frank G. Fahrion, Albert G. Noble, Harold B. Sallada, Felix B. Stump; Vice admirals Francis C. Denebrink, Carl F. Holden, Ingolf N. Kiland, Allan R. McCann; and Rear admirals Guy W. Clark, Merrill Comstock, Elliott M. Senn and Robert G. Tobin. Due to the World War I, his class was speeded up and Cooley graduated with Bachelor of Science degree on March 29, 1917. He was commissioned Ensign on that date and was attached to the battleship USS Florida, which was later assigned to the Sixth Battleship Squadron of the British Grand Fleet. Cooley participated in the escorting of convoys and was promoted consecutively to the temporary ranks of Lieutenant (junior grade) and Lieutenant. He also wittnesed surrender of German High Seas Fleet on November 21, 1918. Cooley returned to the United States in October 1920 and was ordered to the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in San Francisco, California for duty in connection with fitting out of destroyer USS Sumner. The Sumner was commissioned in May 1921 with Lieutenant Commander Donald B. Beary in command and Cooley served as ship's navigator during the patrol cruises with the Pacific Fleet. He later served in the same capacity aboard destroyer USS Shirk prio he was detached in October 1922. Cooley was then ordered back to the Naval Academy, where he