US Navy Veteran of more than 20 years service during the Spanish American War and World War I. He was given a letter of commendation from the Secretary of the Navy and awarded the New York Conspicuous Service cross (#1766) for his action during the First World War when he commanded a US Navy armed guard on a merchant oil tanker and valiantly fought against a German U-Boat attack off the Spanish Coast. A native of the Greek island of Crete, Coppasaki immigrated in October 1889 at the age of 17 with his wife, Anna, and his two month old son, Marco. Residing in Brooklyn, NY, he enlisted in the Navy in 1893 and served continuously until his retirement in the mid-1920s. During the Spanish American War, he was a Seaman on Commodore George Dewey's flagship of the Asiatic Squadron, USS Olympia, and present at the Battle of Manila Bay. Copassaki became a naturalized US Citizen in October 1899 at New York City. In August 1910, he was a chief boatswain's mate attached to the USS Scorpion sailing in the Mediterranean when he applied for a US passport at the American Embassy at Constantinople for the purpose of leaving Turkey. Ordered to the Mediterranean in 1908, Scorpion sailed from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 22 October 1908. On 4 December 1908, she arrived at Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire to take up duties as station ship, but she was ordered to Messina, Italy to assist in relief efforts for the survivors of an earthquake there. She supported International Medical Service efforts from 3–8 January 1909, then steamed back to the Ottoman Empire. From 10 February-15 July, 1909 she was at Naples, Italy, for repairs. She returned to Constantinople on 20 July and assumed station ship duties, which included work for the US Embassy there. At the start of the First World War, Chief Copassaki was attached to the dreadnought, USS Arizona that had been commissioned just a year earlier. During World War I he received a temporary commission as a warrant officer Boatswain in July 1917 for combat action on the morning of June 12, 1917, when Chief Boatswain's Mate Copassaki commanded the Navy Armed Guard on the 8,500 ton oil tanker SS Moreni when it came under fire from a German U-Boat 17 miles southwest of Tadarca Island, Spain. Although her guns were outranged, Moreni's armed guard valiantly kept up a two-hour running battle against the U-Boat, firing 150 shots at it, while the submarine fired 300 shots at the tanker. SS Moreni was sunk after being shelled three times and the ensuing, uncontrollable fire after one of its gas tanks wase hit and exploded, destroying the tanker's steering gear and causing it to steam in a large circle through the flaming water. While the ship was aflame from stem to stern, Copassaki ran through the flames to the forward gun and continued firing at the Germans until the gun was completely out of commission. His after action report came to the attention of Secretary Daniels and was made public. Contemporary news accounts reported that the fight put up by Copassaki's gun crew was so "game" that it elicited words of admiration from the U-Boat's commander, who came abreast of the tanker's lifeboat after the ship sank and rendered first aid to two of the wounded crewmen. For his actions, Copassaki was commended by the Secretary of the Navy Josiah Daniels, temporarily promoted to warrant officer Boatswain and was later awarded the NY Conspicuous Service Cross in 1923. Subsequently during the war, he was attached to the subchaser PC 248. His last duty station before his retirement was on USS Auk. He retired from the Navy in the mid-1920s. By the 1930s, he and his wife Anna had returned to his native Greece, where they lived in Athens until his death at 81 in 1953. BZ to anyone who visits Athens, Greece and locates and photographs his gravesite. Contributor: John Donne (47286829) Navy Cross Citation The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Chief Gunner's Mate Andrew Copassaki, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in Command of the Armed Guard of the S.S. Moreni; especially for very prompt action engaging enemy submarine at 4 a. m. 12 June 1917. The ship, upon attack, was soon in flames, but the crew continued to fight although outranged until driven to boats by flames. The Moreni was hit 45 times. The crew was cheered by Germans for their plucky fight.
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