[6][7][1] Cooley returned to the United States in October 1920 and was ordered to the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in San Francisco, California for duty in connection with fitting out of destroyer USS Sumner.

[1][8][9][10] He was subsequently ordered to the Asiatic Station, where he joined destroyer USS Pruitt under Lieutenant Commander Joel W. Bunkley as his navigator and then executive officer.

Cooley began his second tour at the Naval Academy as an instructor in the Department of Ordnance and Gunnery in March 1927 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant commander on November 6, 1928.

[1][2] In April 1929, Cooley was attached to the staff of Commander, Special Service Squadron and served as Aide and Flag lieutenant to Rear admiral Edward H. Campbell.

He served in this capacity aboard cruiser USS Rochester and participated in the patrols in the Caribbean during the United States occupation of Nicaragua for which he won Nicaraguan Presidential Medal of Merit with Diploma.

[1][2][11] Cooley assumed command of destroyer USS Yarnall in January 1932 and operated her with the Scouting Fleet along the East Coast and Atlantic until May that year, when he was ordered to Washington, D.C. for duty in Bureau of Navigation.

[1][2] Cooley assumed command of newly commissioned attack cargo ship USS Almaack in June 1941 and took part in the transporting of troops and supplies to Iceland.

Following the United States entry into World War II, Cooley was promoted to the temporary rank of Captain on January 1, 1942, and commanded Almaack during transports of Army troops to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and sailors to man the new naval operating base being established at Derry.

Cooley's division returned to the combat zone in late December 1944 and then took part in the support of the landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa in early 1945.