Edwin B. Hooper

Edwin Bickford Hooper (February 26, 1909 – September 12, 1986) was a vice admiral of the United States Navy—his naval service spanned 5 decades from 1930 to the 1970. He served in World War II, Korean and Vietnam Wars and made important contributions to gunnery, ship operations, ordnance, amphibious operations, military logistics and study of naval history. He directed the gunfire in an important battleship-against-battleship action in 1942; was involved in the early days of United States Atomic Energy Commission; established the navy's long range study group; led the Service Force during the Vietnam war; and was the navy's historian—writing several navy histories including the first volume on the Vietnam War.

Early life and naval career

Edwin Hooper. Taken in 1930 while attending the U.S. Naval Academy Hooper was born in Winthrop, Massachusetts, in a house across the street from the Winthrop Yacht Club, where his father owned a yawl. His parents were Fred A. Hooper and Flora Foster. He attended Huntington High School and then the United States Naval Academy from 1927 to 1931. Hooper served on from 1931 to 1936. In 1934, he married Elizabeth Withers Patrick, daughter of Captain Bower Reynolds Patrick (a navy chaplain) and sister of G. S. Patrick.

From 1936 to 1938, Hooper served on the .

In 1939, Hooper attended Naval Academy Post-Graduate School and took a newly established fire control ordnance course. In 1940, he attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, studied servo-mechanisms and received a master's degree in engineering. Students in his class included three important naval officers: Alfred G. Ward, Horacio Rivero Jr. and Lloyd Mustin.

World War II – gunnery

In 1941, Hooper served on the developing and improving fire control techniques to aim the gunfire of the 16 inch and 5 inch guns. During the night action off Guadalcanal (14 November 1942 – 15 November 1942) (Guadalcanal Campaign ), Hooper served as assistant gunnery officer and directed the fire of 16-inch and 5-inch guns. This institute conducted studies into long-range operations and goals of the U.S. Navy.

Vietnam War – amphibious operations and logistics

Controlling Exercise Tulungan on board USS Eldorado, March 1962. From left, Hooper, Cdr Jose Vasquey (Philippine Navy), unnamed, Col. T. A. Culhane (USMC). From 1961 to 1962, Hooper was the Commander of Amphibious Group One in the Pacific Brigadier general Ormond R. Simpson, Vice Admiral Blackburn and General Robert E. Cushman, Jr. ) and some of the troops were later involved in the war. During the exercise, troops were landed by boat, aircraft and helicopter – testing techniques used in the Vietnam War. During 1962, there was a low level conflict in New Guinea between the Dutch and Indonesia and the amphibious group wrote contingency plans to support evacuations.

From 1962 to 1965, Hooper worked in the Office of the Naval Operations in research and development. Hooper was part of the team that negotiated the establishment of the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC). Admiral Hyman G. Rickover sent Hooper a letter, which stated that "One of the most worthwhile aspects of my duty in Washington has been know a man as intelligent, kind, sincere, competent, and helpful as you." After retiring, Hooper wrote a book on the use of naval power, which was published after his death in 1986. A small scholarship fund was established in his name.