John Laver Mather Cooper

Infobox Military Person
name= John Laver Mather Cooper
born= birth date|1828|7|24
died= death date and age|1891|8|22|1828|7|24
placeofbirth= Dublin, Ireland
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname= John Cooper
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Navy
serviceyears=
rank= Coxswain
commands=
unit= USS "Brooklyn"
battles= American Civil War *Battle of Mobile Bay
awards= Medal of Honor (2)
laterwork=

John Cooper (July 24, 1828 – August 22, 1891) (born as John Laver Mather Cooper) was a member of the United States Navy. He is one of only nineteen people who have received the Medal of Honor twice.

His first such award came about because of his actions aboard the USS "Brooklyn" during the Battle of Mobile Bay, August 5, 1864. The second award was a result of an accidental fire in which Cooper advanced through the burning area in order to rescue a wounded man from certain death on April 26, 1865.

He was buried at Cypress Hills National Cemetery, in Brooklyn, New York.

Medal of Honor citations

Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy. Born: 1832, Ireland. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 45, December 31, 1864. Second award.

First award

Citation:

:On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee, in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks from stem to stern, Cooper fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious battle which resulted in the surrender of the prize rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.

econd award

G.O. No.: 62, June 29, 1865.

Citation:

:Served as quartermaster on Acting Rear Admiral Thatcher's staff. During the terrific fire at Mobile, on 26 April 1865, at the risk of being blown to pieces by exploding shells, Cooper advanced through the burning locality, rescued a wounded man from certain death, and bore him on his back to a place of safety.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*

References

*findagrave|8040688 Retrieved on 2008-02-01
* [http://www.medalofhonor.com/JohnCooper.htm medalofhonor.com: Civil War Double Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Coxswain John Cooper, US Navy]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/moh/moh1.htm history.navy.mil: List of Navy Medal of Honor recipients from 1861-65]

Persondata
NAME= Cooper, John Laver Mather
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Navy Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH= July 24, 1828
PLACE OF BIRTH= Dublin, Ireland
DATE OF DEATH= August 22, 1891
PLACE OF DEATH=