Cooper, Robert C. 1918-1943

COOPER, LINDENMAN

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 2/2/2009 at 19:09:50

IRETON HONORS YOUNG SOLDIER
Flags Flown At Half Mast This Week

Ireton residents were shocked on Monday morning to hear of the death of Robert C. Cooper, popular Ireton boy and eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Cooper.

Mr. and Mrs. Cooper were notified of his death by a telegram from the War Department stating that their son had “died February 17, from wounds received in action.”

Robert Clayton Cooper was born August 30, 1918, received his education in the Ireton public school, graduating from high school in 1936.

He was inducted into the Army on November 6, 1941, at Fort Des Moines and was stationed at Camp Walters, Texas, where he received four months basic training.

From there he was sent to Fort Lewis, Washington, and left for an unknown destination in May, 1942. He landed in Australia early in June and was transferred to the New Guinea area less than a month before his death.

He is survived by a brother, Cecil Jr., who is stationed at Pearl Harbor as a navy seaman, as well as his parents.

Bob was the second Ireton boy to die in this present war and he was the first to die in action overseas. Ted Sneiders lost his life in an airplane accident at Houston, Texas.

B. E. Holtdorf, mayor of Ireton, has ordered all flags in the town of Ireton flown at half-mast for the week in memory of one of the finest boys who ever lived in Ireton and whose loss will be felt by a host of friends and relatives.

~Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, March 9, 1943
-------------------------

Robert C. Cooper

Robert C. Cooper was born in Ireton, Iowa, Aug. 18, 1918, and attended the local school and grew to young manhood here. He was graduated from the Ireton High School with the Class of 1936. Shortly there after he was employed at Hawarden. He enlisted in the Military Service in November 1941 and following his basic training sent to the Pacific War area. He was critically wounded while in New Guinea and died February 17, 1943.

Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil C. Cooper, Sr. of Ireton, one brother Cecil Cooper Jr., of Greenville, Ohio, and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Lindenman, of Ireton.

~Source: Ireton Ledger, Thursday, May 30, 1946
~On the first Memorial Day following the end of the war, the Ireton Ledger paid tribute to the Ireton community’s casualties under the headline, “Lest We Forget.”

~Transcriber Note: There is a descrepancy in the date of birth on these two news articles. His military tombstone at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Ireton, Iowa, states the following:

Robert C. Cooper
Iowa
PFC 186 Inf. 41 Div
World War II
Aug. 30, 1918 - Feb. 17, 1943

Tombstone Photo
 

Sioux Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen