PFC Cooper’s DSC | Distinguished Service Cross
By the direction of the President, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved 9 July 1918 (Bulletin 43, WD,1918), the Distinguished Service Cross is awarded by the Commander-in-Chief, United States Forces, Pacific, to Private First Class HOWARD E. COOPER, Infantry, United States Army for extraordinary heroism in action near Lawican, Luzon, Philippine Islands, on 12 May 1945. When one platoon of Company C, 136th Infantry, was halted by intense Japanese mortar, machine gun, and sniper fire during an attack against a heavily fortified hill position, five men were left in an exposed area to draw enemy fire and to enable the remainder of the platoon to maneuver to a more favorable location. The enemy increased their fire in a desperate attempt to annihilate this small holding force and, in the confusion, one of the men, Private Cooper, discovered a hidden Japanese machine gun firing from the rear. Unhesitatingly, he fearlessly assaulted this new threat, but was wounded before he reached the position. Heedless of his wound, he continued forward and singlehandedly destroyed the weapon with hand grenades. He then rejoined his comrades, and while drawing enemy fire, was wounded again. When the remainder of the platoon reached a new position and resumed the attack, Private Cooper advanced with them and was wounded a third time. Unable to move any further, he then consented to be moved to the rear for medical treatment. By his dauntless courage and heroic determination to destroy the enemy despite his serious wounds, Private Cooper was instrumental in enabling his platoon to accomplish its mission.
By command of General MacARTHUR:
R.K. SUTHERLAND, Lieutenant General, United States Army, Chief of Staff
B.M. FITCH, Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Adjutant General
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