World War II Honoree

Joseph Bennett Coopwood

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lockhart, Texas

Honored By

Thomas B. Coopwood, II

Relationship

Son

MAJOR, 141ST INFANTRY MEDICAL DETACHMENT, 36TH DIVISION. KILLED IN ACTION NOVEMBER 21, 1943 MIGNANO, ITALY. HE ATTENDED VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS. HE JOINED THE NATIONAL GUARD AS A SURGEON AND PARTICIPATED IN MANEUVERS WITH THE GUARD IN PALACIOS, TEXAS. IN NOVEMBER 1940 THE GUARD BECAME PART OF THE U.S. ARMY. JANUARY 1941 FOUND THEM AT CAMP BOWIE IN BROWNWOOD, TEXAS, TO BEGIN MILITARY TRAINING IN EARNEST. AFTER INTENSIVE TRAINING, ON VALENTINE’S DAY 1942 THE 141ST MOVED OUT TO CAMP EDWARDS, MASSACHUSETTS ARRIVING AUGUST 1942. ON APRIL 2, 1943, THE 141ST, WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE 36TH DIVISION, LEFT FOR NORTH AFRICA. ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1943 THEY WERE THROWN INTO BATTLE ON SALERNO. FROM THERE, TO ITALY AND HEADED TO ROME. HE WAS KILLED BY GERMAN SHELLING OF HIS FIELD HOSPITAL.