The officially Navy engraved Purple Heart awarded posthumously to Chief Machinist Mate Donald Warren Hertrich, lost in action when the USS Cooper was torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese destroyer Take during the battle of Ormoc Bay during the Philippines campaign.
The medal and original presentation case are in very fine condition with the medal having the type I engraving only seen on Navy awarded PH’s. The group is accompanied by research papers entitled “THE USS COOPER (DD-695) in WORLD WAR II: Documents, Photographs and Survivors’ Interviews” by E. Andrew Wilde, Jr. Also accompanying are copies of Hertrich’s Navy muster rolls.
The Cooper was commissioned in mid 1944 and immediately sent to the Pacific. She participated in carrier escort duties and patrols around the islands. On the night of Dec. 2-3, 1944, the Cooper along with the destroyers Allen M. Sumner and Moale were sent to destroy shipping in Japanese-held Ormoc Bay. The ships engaged two small enemy destroyers and numerous small craft. At about 00:13 on 3 December, Cooper was torpedoed by the Take.
“A perilous fight began. The Kuwa was hit and sunk by the concentrated fire of the Sumner and Cooper. Luckily, the Take was not hit… The Take then launched four Long Lances. Torpedo officer Lieutenant Hiroshi Shiga saw a huge column of water climb a destroyer’s broadside.” Akihiko Yoshida, Operations officer IJN Take.
The Cooper was hit on the starboard side midship, rolled over, and split in two, sinking in under a minute and taking the lives of 191 sailors.
