David Keith Cooper

FSC 4-42 Artillery

4th Infantry Division (Mechanized)

KIA 08/27/2008

Age: 25

Military Rank: Sgt

Unit/Location: Forward Support Company, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery, 1st Brigade Combat Team,
4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas

Died in Baghdad, of wounds suffered in Qadasiyah, Iraq, when his dismounted patrol came under small arms fire.

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SGT David K. Cooper's decorations

Service held for Ky. soldier
Herald-Leader Staff Report

A southeastern Kentucky soldier killed in Iraq was buried Sunday after a funeral in his hometown of Williamsburg.
Sgt. David K. Cooper's remains were laid to rest at Bowlin Cemetery in Jellico, Tenn., about 10 miles south of Williamsburg.
Cooper was killed Aug. 27 in Qadasiyah, Iraq, when his dismounted patrol unit came under small-arms fire.
Cooper, 25, was remembered as a "good, normal boy — free-smiling, easygoing," by Ed Bailey of Williamsburg, who had watched Cooper grow up.
"I don't know where our country keeps getting these heroes," Bailey said.
Cooper was a sergeant in the Forward Support Company, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery, 1st Brigade Combat Team,
4th Infantry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas.

He was a 2001 graduate of Williamsburg High School. After high school, he enrolled at Eastern Kentucky University. He enlisted in the Army in May 2004,
and attended basic training at Fort Sill, Okla., and advanced individual training at Fort Sill and Redstone Arsenal.
In November 2005, Cooper was assigned as a radar repair mechanic at Fort Hood. Soon thereafter, he deployed in support
of Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving as a command team driver and company armorer.
His award and decorations include the Bronze Star medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal,
National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,
Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and the Combat Action Badge.

from the Lexington Herald- Leader

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Whitley County and Corbin High School JROTC members carry the casket of Sgt. David Cooper Thursday.
It was then escorted by the Patriot Guard Riders and area law enforcement to Croley Funeral Home in Williamsburg.

Photo by Sean Bailey from The Times Tribune

Published: September 05, 2008 08:51 am

Fallen soldier returns home

Sgt. David K. Cooper greeted by mourners

By Sean Bailey | Staff Writer

As the sun was burning off the last bit of morning fog from surrounding hills, a small jet landed at Williamsburg-Whitley County Airport Thursday
bringing Sgt. David K. Cooper home for the last time.

Discussion about Williamsburg’s first soldier killed in Iraq ceased, and the crowd gathered silently as Cooper’s flag-draped casket
was taken from the jet and onto his hometown’s soil.

The only sounds were The Patriot Guard Riders’ American flags flapping in the breeze and the distant commands of Whitley County
and Corbin High School JROTC members as they paid their respects and carried Cooper’s casket.

A short prayer was said, and “America the Beautiful” rang out from a trio with an acoustic guitar.

“Oh, it’s very safe to classify (Cooper) as a hero. Anybody that would put their life on the line for their country is a hero to me,”
Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison said before the service. Harrison is also a teacher at Williamsburg High School,
and remembers his former student fondly. Cooper was a friend, a role-model to his fellow students and quite the athlete, Harrison said.

“He was very intelligent, good looking, an athlete. He had everything, he was the American guy, you know?” Harrison said.
“It’s brought the war home. It’s actually brought it here, it was always on the TV and now it’s here, up close and personal. It’s a sad day.”

After Cooper graduated from Williamsburg High School in 2001, he stopped by to see his old teacher and football coach to tell him plans about his future.

“He did come see me and told me he was going to join the military, and I told him I was very proud of him, and still am,” Harrison said.

Cooper was a sergeant in the Forward Support Company, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
based out of Fort Hood, Texas. According to the Department of Defense, Cooper was killed Aug. 27 when his dismounted patrol unit
came under small arms fire in Qadasiyah, Iraq.

Cooper, 25, is the first Williamsburg native to be killed during U.S. operations in Iraq. To date 4,154 American soldiers have been killed
in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Cooper was finishing his third tour in Iraq and was scheduled to come home in May.

“Shock,” Cooper’s friend Bill Conn said at Thursday’s service about the news of his friend’s death. “I was looking forward
to him getting back in the area and hanging out again. I couldn’t believe it.”

Conn said he’ll always remember Cooper as someone “that was always there for people.” Conn had recently learned that Cooper had married
Amanda (Fuston) Cooper of Corbin and planned to start a computer business in Knoxville after his service.

Officials, friends and citizens simply grateful for Cooper’s service in the military attended Thursday’s memorial ramp service.

“It makes me really proud of David, knowing how many people this affected, how one person could affect this town speaks for David
as the person he was ... that in itself speaks volumes to me,” said Senior Airman Nathan Meadows of the U.S. Air Force.

Funeral services for Sgt. David K. Cooper are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at Croley Funeral Home Chapel. Burial and full military honors
by a detachment from Fort Campbell, will follow at the Bowlin Cemetery in Jellico, Tenn.

Gov. Steve Beshear will order all flags at state office buildings be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Sunday, the day of Cooper’s interment.

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SGT David Cooper

Photo by Sue from the Find A Grave website

Birth: Nov. 24, 1982
Whitley County
Kentucky, USA
Death: Aug. 27, 2008
Baghdad, Iraq

Sergeant Cooper, 25, of Williamsburg, Kentucky.

"Coop" was a 2001 graduate of Williamsburg High School where he was an outstanding football player. Above that,
he was an exceptional friend, with a wonderful smile and ability to make anyone around him smile. After high school
he attended Eastern Kentucky University. He enlisted in the United States Army in May of 2004, attended Basic Training
at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and Redstone Arsenal. In November of 2005,
Coop was assigned to Golf Forward Support Company, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery, at Fort Hood, Texas as a
94M, Radar Repair Mechanic. He deployed shortly thereafter in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 05-07. While assigned
as a Gladiator he served as a command team driver and company armorer. He was selected to serve on CSM Williams'
Personal Security Detail. Currently on his third tour of duty, he was assigned to Forward Support Company, 4th Battalion,
42nd Field Artillery, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas. He died in Baghdad,
of wounds suffered in Qadasiyah, Iraq, when his dismounted patrol came under small arms fire. His military awards
and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal,
National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,
Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and the Combat Action Badge.

He is survived by his parents, Ronald and Judy (Parrott) Cooper of Williamsburg, Kentucky; two sisters, Veronica Cooper
and Vanessa Cooper and her fiancé, Dave Seeger all of Richmond, Kentucky; his wife, Amanda (Fuston) Cooper of Corbin,
Kentucky; his grandparents, Wanda and E.L. Cooper of Jellico, Tennessee, his aunts, Jenny Begluitti of Oliver Springs, Tennessee,
Joyce Dippel and her husband Marty of Lafollette, Tennessee and Janice Rutherford of Evansville, Indiana; his uncles,
Steve Cooper of Knoxville, Tennessee and John Parrott and wife Sonya of Jellico, Tennessee; and numerous other relatives and friends.

Bio by: Sue

from the Find A Grave website

Burial:
Bowlin Cemetery
Campbell County
Tennessee, USA

Grave marker for David K. Cooper

Photo by casey Cooper from the Find A Grave website

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The following is a bill introduced into the Kentucky State Legislature:

A RESOLUTION adjourning the Senate in loving memory and honor of Sergeant David Keith Cooper.

With deepest respect and admiration, we pay homage and tribute to Sergeant David Keith Cooper, and we pause in silent reverence for his soul.

WHEREAS, Sergeant David Keith Cooper was born on November 24, 1982, in Whitley County, Kentucky, and he traversed these earthly bounds August 27, 2008; and

WHEREAS, David Cooper was the son of Ronald Cooper and Judy Parrott Cooper; he was the husband of Amanda Fuston Cooper; he was the brother of Veronica Cooper and Vanessa Cooper and her fiancé, Dave Seeger; he was the grandson of Wanda and E.L. Cooper; he was the nephew of Jenny Begluitti, Joyce Dippel and her husband, Marty Dippel, Janice Rutherford, Steve Cooper, John Parrott and his wife, Sonya Parrott; and he also leaves behind many other family members who loved him dearly; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant David Keith Cooper graduated from Williamsburg High School in 2001, and he attended Eastern Kentucky University; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant David Keith Cooper enlisted in the United States Army in May 2004; he attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Redstone Arsenal, Alabama; he was assigned to Golf Forward Support Company, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, as a Radar Repair Mechanic; and he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and

WHEREAS, the life of Sergeant David Keith Cooper ended prematurely from injuries suffered when his patrol was hit by small arms fire during military operations in Qadasiyah, Iraq; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant David Keith Cooper gallantly served his country with honor and distinction; he was laid to rest with full military honors at Bowlin Cemetery in Jellico, Tennessee, on September 7, 2008; and his military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Combat Action Badge; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Kentucky has the highest respect for Sergeant David Keith Cooper and is deeply grateful for the sacrifice he made for the freedom of all Americans and to ensure the freedom of the Iraqi people; and

WHEREAS, the passing of Sergeant David Keith Cooper has left a void that cannot be filled, and he is mourned across the length and breadth of the Commonwealth;

NOW, THEREFORE,

Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:

Section 1 . The Senate does hereby express its profound sense of sorrow upon the passing of Sergeant David Keith Cooper and extends to his family and many friends its most heartfelt sympathy.

Section 2 . When the Senate adjourns this day, it does so in loving memory and honor of Sergeant David Keith Cooper.

Section 3 . The Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed to transmit copies of this Resolution to the wife of Sergeant David Keith Cooper, Amanda Fuston Cooper, and to the parents of Sergeant David Keith Cooper, Ronald and Judy Cooper.

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