World War II Letters - 3 November 1942 - Written by Stan Cooper

Stan finally passes his rank test. He has made it to Fireman Second Class! And to be seeing the world at the same time!

World War II Letters - 31 October 1942 - Written by Stan Cooper

Stan sends the family $50 for Christmas to spend on themselves. He states he needs no money as he "is far west from Uncle Joe." That is Honolulu. I would say, farther "southwest!"

Since 15 June, the USS San Diego was one of the ships to escort the USS Hornet in the Pacific. Just five days previously, 26 October, the USS San Diego was involved with a battle with the Japanese, and witnessed the sinking of the USS Hornet.1 

Of course, he cannot mention any of this to his family. This identifies their location north of the Santa Cruz Islands in the Pacific. 

The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands was intense with 136 
U.S. carrier aircraft including the USS San Diego, with the loss of 81 aircraft and 24 flight crew of whom four became prisoners of war.2 

1.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_San_Diego_(CL-53)
2.  The Loss of the USS Hornet.                  http://www.pacificwar.org.au/Guadalcanal/SantaCruz/LossofHornet.html

Samuel Penrose Cooper (1861-1893) Part 2

Samuel Penrose COOPER and Mary Rebecca BUNWORTH were married on 20 Mar 1892, in Brigtown, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, Ireland, as mentioned in previous post.

Two years later, this couple is found in America with the birth of their daughter, Mary Elizabeth or Lillie Cooper.  I have yet to find their immigration record or their daughter’s birth registration.

I find an indexed death certificate listing for a S. P. Cooper who died on 23 July 1893 in Cook Co., Illinois. I find his death certificate #2210. Here it states that Samuel was in the United States for 5 years. His cause of death was intussusception of the bowels. 

He is buried at Graceland in Chicago. I hunt for him at Graceland Cemetery in Chicago. He is not listed on Find-A-Grave, but he is listed on the Graceland Cemetery website with location in Block 17-Space 489. Now to request a picture of his plot.

Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1994,” S.P. Cooper, 23 Jul 1893; citing Cook, Illinois, United States, source reference, certificate number 2210, record number 47, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm 1,030,987. Accessed 19 July 2017.

Online with Ancestry.com, I find a copy of Samuel P. Cooper’s Probate Record. This verifies his death date of 23 July 1893 and widow Mary R. Cooper who is granted $2,000 on 1 Aug 1893.

Illinois, Wills and Probate Records, 1772-1999. Record of Grants of Administration, Ancestry.com : Accessed 21 Apr 2016. 

His death certificate states he was in the United States for five years. Did he come in 1888 and then return to Ireland to marry Mary Bunworth and both of them return to Illinois where Lillie was born. Did Lillie arrive before or after her father’s death?

When did Mary and Lillie return to Ireland?

I still have too many questions for this family.

World War II Letters - 20 October 1942 - Written by Stan Cooper

Stan is forwarding money to his family to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. 

He is struggling with his fireman exams he is taking aboard ship. He is seeing this as a result of leaving Brooklyn Technical High School before completing to graduation.