World War II Honoree

Harold Wesley Cooper

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Lebanon, Oregon

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CORPORAL. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS APRIL 2, 1942 AND ATTENDED BOOT CAMP AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS ASSIGNED TO B-COMPANY, 2ND TANK BATTALION, 2ND MARINE ‘THE SILENT SECOND’ DIVISION. ON THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1944 HE PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF SAIPAN (15 JUNE-9 JULY 1944) MARIANA ISLANDS CAMPAIGN. KILLED IN ACTION FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1944 AND HE WAS BURIED IN AN ARMY BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY ON SAIPAN. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE TRANSFERRED TO HONOLULU, WITH INTERMENT IN THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. DECORATION AND CITATION: THE MARINE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.