NIGHTSTALKERS Cooper, Charles William

[John Robertson]

• SURNAME

Cooper ​

• FORENAME

Charles William (Chuck) ​

• UNIT

Company C 1 Bn ​

• RANK

Captain ​

• NUMBER

​

• DATE OF DEATH

21st February 1991 ​

• AGE

33 ​

• GRAVESITE

Garfield Cemetery, Kane County, Illinois, USA​

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

born 19.9.1957​

father Robert J. Cooper (1921-1996)​

mother Shirley D. (nee Fellows) Cooper (1926-2006)​

husband of Emily Cooper (2 children)​

joined 160 SOAR October 1989​

award D.F.C.​

pilot​

returning from op in Iraq,helicopter crashed Saudi Arabia due bad visibility (Op. Desert Storm) ​

​

Graduate Class of 1975, Thompson High School, St. Charles, IL.

CPT Cooper was born on 19 September, 1957. He was assigned to the 160th in October, 1989 and served as a 2nd flight platoon leader in Charlie Company, 1st Battalion. He was known as a great leader, destined to command a company and battalion. His easy, "get along with folks" attitude, all-American looks and his constant smile made him a joy to be around. He was a great pilot and officer who loved his job, his soldiers, and this mission.

CPT Cooper was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his extraordinary heroism on 21 February, 1991 while serving as alternate air mission commander of an MH-60L Blackhawk helicopter during Operation Desert Storm in Southwest Asia. Responding to a request for an urgent medical evacuation deep in enemy territory under zero illumination, CPT Cooper flew his aircraft at an extremely low altitude to evade the air defense artillery threat. In spite of dense fog, which he could not increase altitude to avoid and against which his night vision equipment was useless, he continued his mission by relying on his experience using navigational instruments and extracted a badly wounded soldier.

While returning to the medical facility, he encountered a sandstorm and lost visual reference with the ground. Their aircraft, #251, crashed and he selflessly gave his life for his country.

He was married to Emily Cooper and had two children, Clare and Logan.