Code: P24215A-302
Paperwork and medal grouping to 1st Lieutenant Douglas McKay Cooper Jr., Bombardier, 0776877, 8th AAF, 93rd Wing, 490th Bomb Group, 849th Bomb Squadron. Cooper was born in Los Angeles, California on 30th August 1921 and was educated at Los Angeles College before working as a general office clerk at the Vega Aircraft Corporation, Burbank, California. He entered the AAF on 29th April 1944 and undertook training as a bombardier at Kirtland Field, Alberquerque, New Mexico. He was assigned to a crew led by pilot, 2nd Lieutenant Ray E. Hann Jr. and when posted overseas on 15th August 1944, they flew from America via Iceland to Ireland, then RAF Valley in Wales and on to Stone, England. Cooper flew a full tour of 31 Operational flights on B-17 Flying Fortresses, usually from Eye in Suffolk, completing 234 hours combat hours. All of these were flown with 'Hann's Crew' and targets included Kassel, Merseburg, Gustavsburg, Colgne, Hamburg, Berlin, Saarbrucken etc. The paperwork is extensive and includes his flight records (12 pages A4) listing all of his combat missions; a certificate appointing him to rank of temporary 1st Lieutenant; a letter regarding completion of his tour of duty and medal entitlement; movement/assignment orders for his crew that detail the other crew members etc; records of flying gear issued; a photograph of him in uniform and another of his girlfriend (?); original newsclippings regarding the return to base of their flak-hit B-17; Stateside movement orders (9p); orders requiring him to particpate in frequent flights (stateside); movement orders to the UK with crew listing and aircraft details including serial numbers (1p); Stateside equipment shortage report form listing B-7 goggles, life-vest and a parachute that 'wasn't available for issue!' (1p); certificate of eligibility for battle participaton credit; movement orders sending him and some of his crew for 7 days at Aylesford House Rest Home (sent there due to combat fatigue); promotion document stating he and others are promoted from 2nd to 1st Lieutenants; a couple of pages relating to 'redistribution' after he returned from the US and subsequent discharge. There is also a copy of the Class 44-6 Bombardier yearbook which includes a photograph of Cooper. In addition there are medals and insignia comprised of a cased Air Medal inscribed to the obverse 'Awarded Nov. 12 1944', the American Victory, Defense and campaign medals - all boxed. Also comes with machine made AAF shoulder and 8th AAF patches, a pair of pin backed 1st Lt. rank bars and single winged propellor collar badge. Finally, the grouping comes with a copy of the book 'Hann's Crew' written by the crew's Navigator E. J. Johnson and some correspondence between Cooper, Johnson and radio operator Michael Quagliano. The book details the crew's operational flying and every one of their combat missions, some of which were quite eventful. On a raid to Kassel they sustained damage from flak*, lost altitude and became a 'straggler'. Damage to the wing caused broken spar surfaces to rub together causing a spark which ignited several hundred feet over the North Sea. They managed to land safely with the ground crews extinguishing the flames with foam but the aircraft was written off. This incident made it to the newspapers, part of one is included showing a photo of the stricken B-17. On 10th November 1944, they took off to break in some new engines, replacements for some lost to flak damage a few days before. On their final approach, the right wing burst into flames but again, the pilot managed to land safely. It turned out that a cable was wrongly routed when the engines were replaced and this cut through one of the fuel tanks. Another incident occured on Christmas day, 1944, when they were due to fly in support of ground troops involved in the Battle of the Bulge. The weather was appalling with fog and ice which prevented Hann from gaining enough speed to get airborne. Their B-17 skidded and crashed with a full bomb and fuel load. Again, the crew escaped unhurt. Following their tour the crew were assigned to weather reconnaissance, flying an unarmed B-17 deep into Germany at night, sending data back to 8th AAF HQ, from which, it was determined whether a mission should take place or be scrubbed.
Some of the paperwork is a little delicate but this is a superb record of an 8th Air Force bombardier's wartime service. A really fascinating grouping worthy of further research. Stock code P24215A-302.
*A small lump of flak came with this lot and is included (see photos). It is assumed that Cooper saved this as a souvenir of a lucky escape.
