Albert DeStoop was born on August 31, 1916, in Chelsea, Massachusetts. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on November 6, 1934, and after completing basic training at NTS Norfolk, Virginia, he was assigned to the transport ship USS Henderson (AP-1) from February to March 1935, and then aboard the destroyer USS Borie (DD-215) from March 1935 to July 1938. While assigned to USS Borie, Sea1c DeStoop completed torpedo school and his rate was changed to Torpedoman 3rd Class (TM3c). His next assignment was aboard the destroyer USS Simpson (DD-221) from July to November 1938, followed by submarine school at New London, Connecticut, from November 1938 to February 1939. TM1c DeStoop transferred to the submarine USS R-13 (SS-90) in February 1939, and then to the submarine USS R-14 (SS-91) in June 1940. He served aboard USS R-14 until March 1942, when he was transferred to Submarine Base New London, Connecticut, for the fitting out of the submarine USS Grunion (SS-216), serving aboard her through her commissioning in April 1942. TM1c DeStoop was killed in action during a confrontation with the armed Japanese freighter Kano Maru on July 30, 1942. On August 22, 2007, a search team organized by the three sons of CDR Mannert Abele (the Captain of the Grunion when she was sunk) used a remotely operated vehicle to find a sunken vessel 3,000 feet down in the Bering Sea north of Kiska Island at the tip of the Aleutian Islands. On October 1, 2008, the U.S. Navy announced that the sunken vessel is the World War II submarine USS Grunion (SS-216).

His Navy Commendation Medal Citation reads:

For meritorious conduct as a member of the crew of the U.S.S. GRUNION which destroyed three enemy destroyers while engaged in a war patrol in enemy controlled waters. Despite severe and persistent anti-submarine measures resulting from these three successful attacks, the GRUNION was brought safely through the counter attacks and continued an aggressive war patrol. As a member of the crew of the GRUNION, your performance of duty was an important and material contribution to the prosecution of this war.