Russell M. Cox

Russell M. Cox (January 30, 1919 – November 13, 1942), was a United States Navy officer killed in action during World War II for whom a U.S. Navy ship was named.

Naval career

Russell Mills Cox was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on January 30, 1919. Appointed an ensign in the United States Naval Reserve, to rank from August 29, 1940, he attended the Navy Supply Corps School, Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. He was then assigned to the New York Navy Yard at Brooklyn, New York, as a supply officer, reporting there on March 10, 1942.

Ensign Cox reported to the light cruiser USS Juneau (CL-52) on May 29, 1942 to serve as an assistant disbursing and supply officer. He was reported missing in action when a Japanese submarine torpedoed and sank Juneau off Guadalcanal during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942.

Namesakes

The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Russell M. Cox (DE-774) was named for Ensign Cox. Her construction was cancelled in 1944.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.