HISTORIC MILITARY AVIATION MEDAL RE-AWARDED TO AUSTRALIAN PILOT FOR VIETNAM WAR ACTION
A very important event that has been overlooked and forgotten by most people over the last 4 decades took place back in 1981 when Australian pilot Garry Cooper was awarded, as the only person outside of the US to this day, the US Air Force Cross medal, which is the 2nd highest US military medal awarded before a US Medal of Honour.
Garry was awarded this unique medal due to his service and actions in the Vietnam War during the brutal and bloody year of 1968, when he was an Australian Air Force pilot, on exchange with the USAF undertaking duties of a FAC or Forward Air Controller.
Garry was serving with the US Army’s 9th Infantry Division, flying the legendary O-1 Birddog aircraft and did this on hundreds of FAC missions. During his time in Vietnam, 9th Division Commander, Lt General Ewell, recommended Garry for the Medal of Honour, which is an extremely significant status to be considered for.
Unfortunately, the hoped for Medal of Honour didn’t happen as it cant be awarded to a non US citizen.
Instead after much paperwork and discussions, Garry was presented at the US Embassy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 1981 with the US Air Force Cross medal, the 2nd highest award after the MOH. See a photo on the link at AFC photo.
The citation which accompanied the award of Garry’s Air Force Cross reads as follows,
“The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to Flight Lieutenant Garry Gordon Cooper (AFSN: 0219964), Royal Australian Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a Forward Air Controller attached as an Air Liaison Officer to the 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, (U.S. Army), on 18 August 1968 in the Republic of Vietnam. On that date, after being shot down in an OH-23 observation helicopter, Flight Lieutenant Cooper rescued a badly wounded Brigade Commander from the wreckage under extremely heavy automatic weapons fire. Although wounded himself, but with complete disregard for his own safety, he carried the Colonel to a protected area where he fought off several attempts to over-run them killing ten enemy soldiers at close range. During the helicopter rescue next day, he killed a further two enemy with his empty AR-15. Flight Lieutenant Cooper was solely responsible for the saving of Colonel Archer under overwhelming odds. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Flight Lieutenant Cooper reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”
The significance of the award Garry has is extraordinary as no one outside the US has ever received it – except him. This shows his actions in the skies in 1968 went above and beyond bravery and valour to be recognised, then considered and finally awarded.
Curiously after the ceremony, the US medal awarded to Garry was misplaced.
Following 4 years of research by Craig Dale, the actual medal was found … situated in a private collection. This finding then prompted the US Government to re-award the medal again to Garry. The US re-awarded Garry his significant and very unique medal on 4 December 2021 at Evans Head, NSW. See on this link the local media coverage of the re awarding event – https://www.ehlm.com.au/major-award-for-living-legend-garry-cooper/#:~:text=In%20a%20moving%20ceremony%20last,honours%20in%20the%20United%20States.
Presented with the reawarding in 2021, the Air Force Cross medal is seen on Garry, in the middle, above his other service medals.
Garry’s flying career and experience were covered in a DUAN interview, which was done a few years ago, and can be seen at his at https://downunderaviationnews.wordpress.com/interview-with-garry-cooper/
Further insights into Garry’s aviation career and service can be seen at these links.
https://airandspace.si.edu/support/wall-of-honor/garry-g-cooper and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Cross_(United_States)
An extensive listing of Garry’s Vietnam action on this link – http://www.specialoperations.net/GCCongMOH1.htm
DUAN kindly thanks Garry for enabling us to bring to people’s attention and share his unique and very interesting background to his award, with the rest of the aviation community in Australia. We hope you enjoy this insight into Garry’s life and service.
Down Under Aviation News 
