Flight Officer Garry Cooper

[sgt hawk]

How many FAC pilots landed their little "Birdog" planes and spent the night with the "Grunts" they were working with? He did! I wittnesed it! Garry is in a fight with prostate cancer, so when you hit your knees tonight ask "GOD' to look out for him. He is one of my personal "HEROES" and as I have said before on this post, a treasure for Australia and a courageous gentleman. Nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor and due to some Political Bull$hit never recieved it! I have his e-mail address if any one wants to send a message PM me.
Woodstock Ga
Greg Hawkins

[Robbie Stuart]

Got you covered Sgt. Hawk. We will add him to our prayers. Found this link doing a search. This man is waht legends are made of!
http://home.earthlink.net/~aircommando1/GCCongMOH1.htm
Regards
Robbie

[Robbie Stuart]

Got you covered Sgt. Hawk. We will add him to our prayers. Found this link doing a search. This man is what legends are made of!
http://home.earthlink.net/~aircommando1/GCCongMOH1.htm
Regards
Robbie

[slinky]

Has anyone got a petition going to have him recognized?

[Jack Cook]

I investigated the details of Cooper and the possibility of him receiving the MOH and his chances are zero. He could have been recognized immediately with the Silver Star at least and that could still be a possibility.
The key to this issue is the fact Cooper was never a member of any branch of the US armed forces. During WW II members of the US Merchant Marines were recommender for military awards for acts of extraordinary heroism. In all cases these awards were denied by DOD because during WW II the Merchant Marines were not part of the armed forces. Their pay, sailing orders and decorations were the responsibility of the Merchant Marine Shipping Administration, or an agency with a very similar title. By the way, this Merchant Marine Administration was commander by an active duty US navy admiral.
To date from 1863 forward, no one who was not in the US armed forces has ever received a MOH.
None of the provided documentation shows what the final disposition of General Ewell’s Army recommendation to the Air Force is.
My best guess is that at HQ CINCPAC any further Air Force endorsements were returned for cause with a suggestion that General Ewell, as an Army Division Commander has the authority himself to award the Silver Start Medal. In fact this same award is often made for our own soldiers as an interim award, going back to WW II times .pending receipt of a MOH.
Another fact is that Cooper was Attached to the USAF ,never assigned. I make this reasonable assumption because he remained on the RAAF payroll. That means his promotions were controlled by his own government. These are the legal niceties of the case, as I understand the material that has been passed to you based on a thirty seven year old act of heroism, performed by an allied military person.
Mechanically we would need some member of the US Congress to introduce a bill much as done in the Barber case. Who would do this? Maybe General Ewell? But once the congressperson had his legal staffer try to draft the language he/she is going to be made aware of the non-US military member status and that will result in a letter of regret from the member of congress.
On a more positive note I could suggest that an American with first had knowledge and/or documentation make an appointment to meet with the Australian Military Attache, assigned to his country’s Embassy here in Washington, DC and discuss the case with the recommendation that the Australian Government consider an appropriate award. There is also the possibility to ask General Ewell to consider using his own Pentagon contacts to make a retroactive award of the Silver Star Medal to Cooper. This would be strictly an internal Army matter requiring no DOD or congressional action.
I was aware of an action more than forty years ago to make a retroactive military ward to Mr. Marcos, who was at that point just elected as President of the Philippines, and a WWII Filipino guerrilla leader. This had White House support. After DOD got involved Marcos ended up with a Silver Star Medal, nice US media coverage and the issue/incident is now history.

[Jack Cook]

any further thoughts on Cooper and the MOH??

[sgt hawk]

Jack, most of the witnesses to Garry's exploit's in this particular recomendation are deceased. Col Archer passed away in the late 80's or early 90's. General Ewell has to be in his 90's (he was a battalion comander at Normandy in WWII) Since no one who participated is available to push for this award I doubt if anything will come of it.

[sgt hawk]

Duplicate post

[Jack Cook]

The link gives Gen Ewell's address and phone number.

[b]General Ewell is in Washington and is still interested in helping Garry get the MOH. Let me know what you think and we will provide whatever you want.

Lt Gen Gen Julian J. Ewell
9024 Belvoirwoods Parkway
Ft Belvoir, VA 22060
Commander 9th Inf Div
Tel 703-781-3904
/b]

[sgt hawk]

Spoke with our Battalion Association President Lee Alley (who is a good friend of Garry's) and was also written up for the MOH but had it downgraded to DSC.That then 1st Lieutenant Tommy Ray Franks now retired Centcom Commander and former 4 star General, may be at our Reunion in Indianapolis in June. General Franks was attatched to our battalion from 2/4 Artillery as a Forward Observer. He may have a solution since His contacts are more recent. Will let you know.
Woodstock, Ga