During World War II, the USS Cooper was launched in February 1944 and commissioned in March 1944. The ship left Boston harbor in July 1944 and arrived at Pearl Harbor in September 1944. The ship arrived in the South Pacific at Ulithi in November of 1944, serving as a screen for air craft carriers. In late November, the Cooper also served on patrol in the Leyte Gulf.

On December 2, 1944 the ship joined two destroyers in Ormoc Bay near the island of Leyte. They fought against Japanese destroyers and other ships. On December 3, the USS Cooper was torpedoed which resulted in an explosion. Rescue airplanes didn’t arrive until later in the day due to the heavy fighting. They saved 168 crew members, and 191 crew members died in the attack. 

Green County seaman Leroy Ocker served on the crew of the USS Cooper.

LeRoy Milton Ocker was born March 25, 1911 in Winslow Township, Stephenson County, Illinois to Jacob Minor and Margaret E. (Abels) Ocker.

From the 1920 U.S. Census, the Ocker family was living in Winslow Township, Stephenson County, Illinois. The household included father Jacob, mother Margaret, and children Roscoe, Dorothy, Leroy, and John. Father Jacob was a farmer.

From the 1930 U.S. Census, Leroy M. Ocker was living in Decatur Township, Brodhead City in Green County. He was a roomer in a house run by Magdalene Luchsinger, who was a widow. Ocker’s occupation was a mechanic in the automobile industry. 

On November 26, 1937, Le Roy Milton Ocker married Lela Evelyn Goodman in Dubuque, Iowa.

On the 1940 U.S. Census, Leroy and Lela “Orker” (sic: Ocker) lived in Monroe in Green County, Wisconsin. Leroy was a carpenter.

On October 16, 1940, LeRoy Milton Ocker registered for the WWII Draft. He resided in Monroe and was employed by Frank Priewe, Lumber and Fuel. 

From the U.S. WWII Navy Muster Rolls for USS Cooper (DD-695), F1c Leroy Milton Ocker (fireman first class) enlisted December 17, 1943 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His muster date was March 27, 1944.

From the January 12, 1945 Monroe Evening Times article titled “Ocher Killed in Pacific Action Wife is Informed,” the article stated LeRoy Milton (Pete) Ocher, 33, Monroe, fireman first class reported missing in action in the Pacific theater, was killed in combat, a government telegram informed his wife, the former Lela E. Goodman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clark Goodman, Winslow.

Fireman Ocher was assigned to the lower deck of a destroyer and was known to be on duty in the Philippines...

He was born March 25, 1911, in Stephenson county, Ill., the son of Jacob Minor and Margaret Ocher, now living at Lena. He had two brothers, John, farming in the Lena area, and Sgt. Minor Ocher, Jr., original member of Co. K who has recently returned from New Guinea fighting. There are three sisters, Mrs. Elmer Droster, Burlington, Mrs. Duane Brechtolt, Freeport, and a third married sister in Chicago.

Fireman Ocher’s wife and their 2 ½-year-old son, Leroy Minor, had been living in Freeport, coming to her parents’ home after receiving the news that her husband was missing...”

From the U.S. Navy Casualties Book list for Wisconsin, LeRoy Milton Ocker was listed as an Electrician’s mate 3c, USNR. (Note: This is a different job title than all the other records including the muster rolls and newspaper articles which was F1c or fireman 1st class.}

Ocker was memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. He received the Purple Heart, awarded posthumously.

Ocker was also memorialized on his parents’ gravestone at the Christian Hollow Cemetery in Winslow, Stephenson County, Illinois. On their gravestone it is also inscribed “Our son Leroy M. 1911-1944, Buried at Sea, South Pacific, USS Cooper.”

Thank you, Seaman LeRoy Milton Ocker, for your service to and ultimate sacrifice for this country. We honor you and remember you.