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| Pfc. Carl Cooper served with the 24th Marine Regiment at Namur. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53338389/carl-edward-cooper https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:24th_marines_roi-namur_wwii.jpg |
Carl Edward Cooper never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on November 17, 1918 in West Virginia. His parents John and Carrie were also both born in West Virginia. His father worked as a coal mine foreman and died in1928. His mother ran a boarding house after her husband died. Carl had four older sisters, three younger sisters, and one younger brother four years his junior. By 1940 Carl had completed three years of college. He was living with his family and worked as a laborer.
Carl and his brother Howard volunteered for the US Marine Corps on the same day, August 24, 1942. Their mother had died a month earlier. They were probably reading about the exploits of the marines on Guadalcanal at the time. Carl became a private first class in Company D, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division. His brother was in Company D. Both became machine-gunners.
On February 1, 1944 the 24th Marine Regiment landed on the small atoll of Namur in the Marshall Islands. It was the next step in the island hoping strategy to bring American bombers within range of Japan. Pfc. Cooper was killed in action on February 2, 1944 most likely during a desperate and ineffectual banzai charge. The Marines lost 190 leathernecks in this two day battle.
Brother Howard survived this battle. He managed to get through Saipan, Tinian, and even Iwo Jima. Sadly, he was killed in an automobile accident in 1947.
Carl's grave is at Sawmill Cemetery in Winifrede, West Virginia.
Last year on this date I profiled Porter Marple, killed at the Battle of Dutch Harbor. You can read about Porter here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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