World War II Honoree

Stewart Cooper

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Cedar Grove, New Jersey

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE WAS A BOMBARDIER WITH THE 8TH AIR FORCE, 339TH SQUADRON, 96TH BOMB GROUP ABOARD A B-17 WHEN IT WAS SHOT DOWN ON SEPTEMBER 27, 1943 BY GERMAN AIRCRAFT NEAR EMDEN, GERMANY. FOUR ATTACKING ME-109’S SHOT UP THE COCKPIT WITH 20MM CANNONS AND A ROCKET HAD BLOWN AWAY THE NOSE OF THE BOMBER. HE BAILED OUT OF THE MORTALLY WOUNDED BOMBER AND IMMEDIATELY PASSED OUT. HE REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS IN MID-AIR AND PULLED THE PARACHUTE RELEASE RING. HE SAW THAT HIS LEFT LEG HAD BEEN TRAUMATICALLY AMPUTATED, POSSIBLY BY THE BOMBERS PROPELLER WHEN HE BAILED OUT. ON THE GROUND HE WAS GIVEN FIRST AID BY A GERMAN FARMER AND LATER PICKED UP BY A GERMAN AMBULANCE. HE SPENT THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS RECOVERING FROM HIS WOUNDS IN A GERMAN HOSPITAL. RELEASED FROM STALAG LUFT III AS PART OF A POW EXCHANGE ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1944. AMONG HIS MEDALS IS THE PURPLE HEART.