Background
Born on 20 November 1915 in Glenferrie, Melbourne, Cooper was the son of a butcher and was educated at state schools in Melbourne.
Born on 20 November 1915 in Glenferrie, Melbourne, Cooper was the son of a butcher and was educated at state schools in Melbourne.
He graduated as a sergeant upon completion of his training in December and was initially posted to Number.
During the Second World War, he commanded Number. 80 Wing in the Borneo campaign. He commanded Number. Following his retirement from the Royal Australian Air Force in 1970, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
After finishing his education at Melbourne High School, he entered the workforce as a manchester salesman.
At the age of 19, Cooper enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force. Initially he was an aircraft hand, and then a clerk and bandsman (having learned the trumpet in his childhood).
Still an enlisted man, he began flight training in 1936. 1 Squadron. By mid 1937, he was a flight instructor at Number.
1 Flying Training School.
He was commissioned in June 1939 but two months later resigned from the air force. Second World War
In 1940 Cooper was recalled from the Citizen Air Force (the reserve for the Australian Air Force) and promoted to flying officer Engaged in instructor duties throughout 1941, in July 1942 he undertook fighter pilot training and was posted in quick succession to Number.
23, 83 and 86 squadrons to gain operational experience.
In September 1943, he took command of Number. 80 Squadron, which was then operating Kittyhawks.
In July 1944, Cooper returned to Australia and once again took up instructor duties, this time at Number. 2 Operational Training Unit.
In January 1945, he was temporarily promoted to wing commander and tasked to take over Number.
80 Wing, then based in Morotai (an island in the Dutch East Indies), from Group Captain Clive Caldwell. Number. 80 Wing, operating Spitfires, was then training for the forthcoming invasion of Borneo, and once the invasion began, supported the Borneo campaign. Cooper remained in command of Number.
80 Wing until the end of the war.
In September 1945, Cooper was put in command of Number. 81 Wing, which was tasked with occupation duties in Japan.
He returned to Australia in 1947, having been promoted to acting group captain at the time of taking over Number. 81 Wing. Postwar career
Cooper held a number of postwar commands, including Number.
1 Flying Training School from 1949 to 1950, Number.
21 Squadron from 1950 to 1952, and North-Western Area Command from 1952 to 1954. Promoted to group captain in 1957, he was commander of Number. 78 Wing from 1957 to 1960.
Number.
He also undertook diplomatic duties, serving as air attaché in Paris from 1963 to 1966, and helped with the integration of the Mirage fighter jet into Australian service. Promoted to acting air commodore in 1966 (made permanent in 1968), Cooper retired from the Royal Australian Air Force in 1970 having spent his final years as commander of Royal Australian Air Force Base Williamtown. Cooper was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire shortly after his retirement and died of cancer on 6 April 1986.
80 Squadron in the New Guinea campaign (for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross) and then Number. 78 Wing during the Malayan Emergency, earning the Air Force Cross for his leadership. The squadron supported units of the Australian Army during the New Guinea Campaign, and Cooper, having been made temporary squadron leader on being put in command of the squadron, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1944. 78 Wing was then operating Sabres from Royal Australian Air Force Butterworth Base in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency, and Cooper was awarded the Air Force Cross for his leadership.
