JAMES A. COCHRAN, LT, USN
James Cochran '43
Lucky Bag
From the 1943 Lucky Bag:
JAMES AVONIA COCHRAN
Washington, D.C.
Ambition: that is a one-word description of Jim. An Eagle Scout, a captain in his high school cadet corps, a member of the Marine Air Corps Reserve, and a student at Randies Prep—these were Jim's stepping stones toward his lifelong ambition to become a Naval officer. Jim, however, believed in mixing the sweet with the bitter—proven by his dragging record and the fact that he spent hour upon hour playing tennis. The Marine Air Corps Reserve must have left a little of that unexplainable something in Jim's blood, and the future will undoubtedly find Jim in the air. Happy landings, Jim!
The Class of 1943 was graduated in June 1942 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
JAMES AVONIA COCHRAN
Washington, D.C.
Ambition: that is a one-word description of Jim. An Eagle Scout, a captain in his high school cadet corps, a member of the Marine Air Corps Reserve, and a student at Randies Prep—these were Jim's stepping stones toward his lifelong ambition to become a Naval officer. Jim, however, believed in mixing the sweet with the bitter—proven by his dragging record and the fact that he spent hour upon hour playing tennis. The Marine Air Corps Reserve must have left a little of that unexplainable something in Jim's blood, and the future will undoubtedly find Jim in the air. Happy landings, Jim!
The Class of 1943 was graduated in June 1942 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
Loss
James was lost when his F4U-4 Corsair crashed at sea on February 5, 1947 while operating from USS Randolph (CV 15).
From the Class of 1943 anniversary book "25 years later…":
Jim was born in Cottonburg, Kentucky on 11 June 1920. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in March 1938, was appointed at-large and entered the Academy on 23 June 1939. After graduation he reported to the cruiser USS SAVANNAH where he saw combat action in the major operations of the European Theatre during WWII. He entered flight training in January 1944. After duty involving flying at the Naval Air Stations in Dallas, Texas; Pensacola, Florida; Jacksonville, Florida; Melbourne, Florida; Sanford, Florida; Miami, Florida, and Norfolk, Virginia he reported to Fighter Squadron Eighty-two in April 1946. It was while attached to this squadron as a pilot that Jim was lost at sea in the Atlantic as a result of an aircraft crash on 5 February 1947. He wore the American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp, WWII Victory Medal, American Area Campaign Medal and the European-African-Middle East Area Campaign Medal with three bronze stars. Jim was survived by his wife Loraine Green who at Jim's death resided at Stoney Craft, Wickford, Rhode Island.
James married Loraine Green on April 4, 1943, in the Naval Academy Chapel, Annapolis, Md.
James's Find A Grave page is here.
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