USS Cooner (DE-172)

USS Cooner (DE-172) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and then the Pacific Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.

Cooner was named after Bunyan Randolph Cooner who earned a Navy Cross before losing his life in 1942. She was launched 23 July 1943 by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Kearny, New Jersey; sponsored by Mrs. I. Cooner; and commissioned 21 August 1943, Lieutenant Commander J. M. Stuart in command.

World War II North Atlantic operations
Between 1 November 1943 and 9 May 1945, Cooner made nine voyages escorting convoys between New York and North African ports.

World War II Pacific Theatre operations
With the winning of victory of Europe, the veteran of the Atlantic Ocean was ordered to the Pacific Ocean, and on 28 June 1945 arrived at Pearl Harbor. She sailed on to Ulithi, where between 8 and 20 August she had patrol and radar picket duty. After escorting a transport to Guam and putting in to Okinawa, she returned to Ulithi to load troops, whom she carried to Guam for further transportation to the United States. She herself sailed to Saipan, where from 23 September to 1 November, she stood ready to perform air-sea rescues during the heavy traffic carrying men home from the western Pacific. Homeward bound, she called at Pearl Harbor and San Diego, California, en route to Charleston, South Carolina, where she arrived 4 December.

Post-War decommissioning
There she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 25 June 1946. She was struck on 1 July 1972 and sold on 1 November 1973 and scrapped.