Career
During the Vietnam War from 1967–1969, Cousins commanded the attack carrier strike force of five carriers stationed off the coast of Vietnam. In 1970, Cousins was promoted to four star admiral and appointed Vice Chief of Naval Operations. From 1972 to 1975, he commanded the United States Atlantic Fleet and North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces.
Cousins retired from the navy in 1975 and served as president and executive of Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock until 1979.
He was promoted to President of Tenneco Europe based in London where he served with distinction from 1979 until his retirement in 1985. He died on August 5, 2009 from complications from a fall in Newport News, Virginia where he had lived since his retirement.
He left no immediate survivors.