Dignified Transfer of Cpl Thomas Harley Cooper U.S.M.C. MIA | Betio, Tarawa KIA | Nov. 20 1943
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- Опубликовано: 3 фев 2025
- Yesterday at BWI Airport American flight #2314 brought home Corporal Thomas Harley Cooper of the United States Marine Corps, Active Duty who was “Killed in Action” on November 20, 1943, in the Battle of Tarawa. The battle took place during World War II on the Island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Corporal Cooper was 22 years old and from Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Corporal Cooper was assigned to Able Company, 2nd Amphibian Tractor Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force.
The Battle of Tarawa occurred from 20 November 1943 and ended on 23 November 1943. In the battle, over 1000 Marines and sailors were “Killed in Action” and over 2000 were injured.
Corporal Cooper enlisted in the Marine Corps on 18 September 1940 and was promoted to Corporal in January 1942. In 1943 he was married and 4 months after he was “Killed in Action” his daughter was born in March 1944.
On the tarmac to welcome Corporal Cooper home is his daughter Virginia who will be able to embrace her father for the first time. Joining her are her family members, fellow Marines and the BWI Airport family.
With advances in DNA technology, in 2016 medical test were performed and with other records on 9 August 2019 the remains were identified as Corporal Cooper.
Corporal Cooper will be buried on Thursday March 10th in Arlington National Cemetery with Full Military Honors.
We thank Corporal Cooper for his faithful service and dedication to our country. Semper Fidelis. Honors will be conducted as the Dignified Transfer occurs from the plane to the hearse.
Please join us in Honoring Corporal Thomas Harley Cooper by placing your hand over your heart as he is carried by the Marine Corps Honor Guard from the plane to the hearse for his final journey home.
Music credits: Joe Kenney “Remedy”
Bring Him Home Les Miserables Authentic Orchestral Karaoke Instrumental
Thank you for filming this. Good to see another brother brought home.
Thank you for letting us experience this with you. You must be so proud. Rest In Peace.
I am humbled by this and am glad that his service is being honored. Rest in peace and welcome home.
It tears me up when we lose another veteran no matter what the circumstances are and it hurts even more when it's a fellow Marine, it brings back bad memories from when I was in Nam and I am so grateful to my buddies that got me out of the shit on a medavac. Semper Fi Marine I know you are in heaven because you served your time in hell
Welcome home sir. Thank you for your service. Rest easy now. 🇺🇸
Thank you for your service. RIP.
Oh man, that's her first time "meeting" her father. I can only imagine what her mom went through.
“His Lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant…” Matthew 25:21.
Corporal Thomas Harley Cooper was reported as Killed in Action on 20 November 1943 on Tarawa by gunshot wounds. In 2011/2012, Chief Rick Stone, while a member of the Department of Defense, investigated all of the unresolved Tarawa casualties buried in the Punchbowl Cemetery using a method created by Chief Stone known as the Random Incident Correlation System (RISC). On 5 October 2011, Chief Stone determined that CPL Cooper was a “Most Likely Match” to “Unknown CILHI 0002-80” and submitted an official report including that information. CPL Cooper’s family contacted the Chief Rick Stone and Family Charitable Foundation and requested a “Family Report” on his case, which was immediately completed and sent on 8 April 2013. Foundation researchers continued to investigate CPL Cooper’s case and the last update confirmed him as a “Most Likely Match” to “Unknown CILHI 0002-80. ” His official identification as “Unknown CILHI 0002-80” was announced by the Department of Defense on 4 November 2019.
Welcome home Marine! We share the joy of your family in your return! God Bless you and thanks to ALL who never forgot you and your service to our country!