Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
072501a 072501b	44k 50k	Robert Witcher Copeland was born on 09 September 1910 at Tacoma, Wash., enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1929 and was commissioned as a Naval Reserve officer in 1935. He practiced law from 1935 until 1940, when he was ordered to active duty during the Navy's pre-World War II expansion. During the War, he commanded USS Pawtucket (YT-7), USS Black Douglas (PYc45), USS Wyman (DE 38) and USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE 413). During the Battle off Samar, 25 October 1944, he commanded Samuel B. Roberts as a member of Task Unit 77.4.3, a small force of six escort (or "Jeep") carriers, three destroyers, and three destroyer-escorts - known as "Taffy 3." Lieutenant Commander Copeland led his ship and crew in an attack on a greatly superior Japanese battleship and cruiser force. Though his ship was lost, this action helped defeat the Japanese counter-offensive against the Leyte invasion, and for this, he was awarded the Navy Cross. Following World War II, Copeland resumed his law career while remaining a member of the Naval Reserve, in which he rose to the rank of Rear Admiral. Robert W. Copeland died at Tacoma, Washington, on 25 August 1973. USS Copeland (FFG 25) (1982-1996) was the first ship named in his honor. (Photos from the Radm. Robert W. Copeland Facebook Page)		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE/FF/LCS Archive Manager
072534	679k	13 April 1982: the Pacific Ocean - A port bow aerial view of the future frigate USS Copeland (FFG 25) underway during sea trials. (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 107560 by Joseph Ernest from the Naval History and Heritage Command)		Bob Hurst Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom
072502	152k	18 May 1982: at sea - An aerial starboard beam view of the frigate USS Copeland (FFG 25) underway during sea trials. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11949 by Todd Pacific Shipyards, from the Defense Visual Information Center)		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE/FF/LCS Archive Manager
072503	183k	18 May 1982: at sea - An aerial port bow view of Copeland underway during sea trials. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11948 by Todd Pacific Shipyards, from the DVIC)
072504	211k	18 May 1982: at sea - An aerial port quarter view of Copeland underway during sea trials. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11942 by Todd Pacific Shipyards, from the DVIC)
072505	141k	18 May 1982: at sea - An aerial stern view of Copeland underway during sea trials. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11944 by Todd Pacific Shipyards, from the DVIC)
072506	150k	18 May 1982: at sea - An aerial bow view of Copeland underway during sea trials. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11945 by Todd Pacific Shipyards, from the DVIC)
072507	136k	18 May 1982: at sea - An starboard quarter view of Copeland underway during sea trials. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11946 by Todd Pacific Shipyards, from the DVIC)
072532	550k	18 May 1982: the Pacific Ocean - Aerial bow view of the guided missile frigate Copeland underway during sea trials. (U.S. Navy Photo, Local ID #330-CFD-DN-SC-83-11947, NAID #6369742 by Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the United States National Archives)		Bob Hurst Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom
072508	151	date / location unknown		-
072509	91k	date / location unknown		Wendell R. McLaughlin, Jr.
072535	189k	date unknown: A portrait photo of USS Copeland entering San Francisco Bay, having just passed under the Golden Gate Bridge.		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE/FF/LCS Archive Manager
072510	106k	22 April 1984: A port quarter view of Copeland moored to a pier during operations with the Australian navy as part of the joint Australia/New Zealand/U.S. Exercise Pitch Black '84. (U.S. Air Force photo DVID #DF-ST-85-06914 by Msgt David N. Craft, from the DVIC)
072511	98k	22 April 1984: A Standard-2 (SM-2) medium range missile is loaded onto a Mark 13 launcher aboard Copeland, as the ship operates as part of the joint Australia/New Zealand/US Exercise Pitch Black '84. (U.S. Air Force photo DVID #DF-ST-85-06915 by Msgt David N. Craft, from the DVIC)
072512	267k	22 April 1984: A view of a Standard-2 (SM-2) medium range missile loaded onto a Mark 13 launcher aboard Copeland, as the ship operates as part of the joint Australia/New Zealand/US Exercise Pitch Black '84. (U.S. Air Force photo DVID #DF-ST-85-06916 by Msgt David N. Craft, from the DVIC)
072513	900k	27 February 1987: San Diego, Cal. - A port bow view of Copeland underway as it passes the Naval Submarine Base while departing San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-90-02305 by PH1 Dutkiewicz, from the DVIC)
072514	194k	27 February 1987: San Diego, Cal. - A port bow view of Copeland underway as it departs San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-90-02308 by PH1 Dutkiewicz, from the DVIC)
072515	173k	27 February 1987: San Diego, Cal. - A port quarter view of Copeland underway as it departs San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-90-02307 by PH1 Dutkiewicz, from the DVIC)
072516	130k	27 February 1987: San Diego, Cal. - Aerial of Copeland underway in San Diego Bay with Point Loma in the background. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-05-07451 by PH1 Dutkiewicz, from the DVIC)
072517	105	date / location unknown (apparently from this sequence of photos)		Jerry Hays
072518	128k	27 February 1987: San Diego, Cal. - A port bow view of Copeland underway as it departs San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-90-02298 by PH1 Dutkiewicz, from the DVIC)		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE/FF/LCS Archive Manager
072519	671k	27 February 1987: San Diego, Cal. - A port bow view of Copeland underway as it departs San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-90-02309 by PH1 Dutkiewicz, from the DVIC)
072520	135k	27 February 1987: San Diego, Cal. - A port quarter view of Copeland underway as it departs San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-90-02302 by PH1 Dutkiewicz, from the DVIC)
072521	139k	27 February 1987: San Diego, Cal. - A stern view of Copeland heading out to sea after departing San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-90-02310 by PH1 Dutkiewicz, from the DVIC)
072533	846k	27 February 1987: San Diego Bay - A starboard quarter view of the guided missile frigate USS Copeland underway as it departs San Diego. (U.S. Navy Photo, Local ID #330-CFD-DN-SC-90-02306, NAID #6450085 from the United States National Archives)		Bob Hurst Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom
072529	226k	08 June 1989: Vancouver, B.C. - Copeland lays to off Vancouver. (Photo by Rick Garcia, from the collection of  Chris Howell)		Chris Howell Southland Ship Stores Ltd Port of Bluff, New Zealand
072530	335k	14 July 1989: Vancouver, B.C. - Copeland heading into Vancouver. (Photo by Rick Garcia, from the collection of  Chris Howell)
072522	121k	01 March 1990: San Diego Harbor CA - Copeland passes by the Naval Submarine Base San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-92-05698 by OS2 John Bouvia, from the DVIC)		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE/FF/LCS Archive Manager
072523	98k	18 September 1990: at sea - Sailors onboard Copeland perform a ship to air refueling operation with a USN SH-2G Super Seasprite hovering above the ships helicopter deck. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-04-14294 by PH3 C. Weightman, from the DVIC)
072524	102k	18 September 1990: at sea - Sailors onboard Copeland perform a ship to air refueling operation with a USN SH-3G Sea King, Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 1 (HC-1), Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI), California, hovering above the ships helicopter deck. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-04-14295 by PH3 C. Weightman, from the DVIC)
072525	93k	18 September 1990: at sea - Sailors onboard Copeland perform a ship to air refueling operation with a USN H-46 Seaknight, Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 11 (HC-11), Detachment 2 (Det. 2), Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI), California, hovering above the ships helicopter deck. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-04-14296 by PH3 C. Weightman, from the DVIC)
072526	86k	18 September 1990: at sea - Sailors onboard Copeland perform a ship-to-air refueling operation with a USN SH-60B Seahawk, from a Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light unit, hovering above the ships helicopter deck. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-04-14297 by PH3 C. Weightman, from the DVIC)
072527	108k	24 May 1991: San Diego, Cal. - A garland decorates the bow of Copeland as it lies tied up shortly after its return from deployment. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-91-11570 by PH2 Norquist, from the DVIC)
072528	89k	24 May 1991: San Diego, Cal. - Electronics Technician 2nd Class Craig Owens is reunited with one of his sons aboard Copeland. Copeland has returned to San Diego following a deployment to the Western Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-91-11747 by JO1 Robert Wilson, from the DVIC)
070918	1046k	23 January 1994: at sea - Destroyer Squadron One (DesRonOne) steaming in formation off the coast of San Clemente Island. The formation consists of seven FFG class ships of the Naval Reserve Force. From left to right, rear to front; left row (rear) USS Sides (FFG 14), (front) USS Mahlon S. Tisdale (FFG 27), middle row (rear) USS Duncan (FFG 10) (center) USS Copeland (FFG 25) (lead ship) USS Lewis B. Puller (FFG 23), right row (rear) USS George Philip (FFG 12) and (front) USS Wadsworth (FFG 9). (U.S. Navy Photo, Local ID #330-CFD-DN-ST-95-01112, NAID #6491772 from the United States National Archives)		Bob Hurst Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom
072531	504k	28 March 2008: Egypt - The Egyptian frigate Mubarak (ex-Copeland). The ship was later renamed Alexandria. Picture was taken through a fence from a bus on the coast road. (Photo courtesy of Matthias Kabel)
072536	501k	20 April 2022: the Red Sea - The Egyptian Navy frigate ENS Alexandria (F911) and amphibious command ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) operate in the Red Sea in support of the newly established Combined Task Force 153. CTF 153 focuses on maritime security and capacity building in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb and Gulf of Aden. (U.S. Army photo VIRIN #220420-A-AI379-7272 by Cpl. DeAndre Dawkins from the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)

Copeland Memorabilia
Ship's Tile Plaque Courtesy of Mike Smolinski	Copeland Coffee Mug Courtesy of Mike Smolinski	Copeland Postcard Courtesy of Mike Smolinski

Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists, rosters, or deck logs available. Please see the
Frequently Asked Questions section on NavSource's Main Page for that information.

Additional Resources

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Radm. Robert W. Copeland Facebook Page
Tin Can Sailors
The U.S. Navy Memorial
The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
The Destroyer History Foundation

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This page created by Daniel N. Dunham, expanded and maintained by Mike Smolinski by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved. Page Last Updated: 24 March 2023