Even before I was hired at PJTV in September, I had wanted to do a series of interviews with veterans. And now, finally, I am very proud to announce the first episode of A SOLDIER’S STORY.
Leon Cooper was 22 years old when he commanded a wave of Higgins boats in the shallow waters off of Tarawa. Due to one of the most tragic miscalculations of the war, the tidal information was incorrect and the first waves of boats could not clear the reefs… leaving hundreds of teen-aged Marines 700 yards offshore, wading through waist-deep water wearing 100 pound packs, into the teeth of 8 inch naval guns, mortars, machine guns and small arms fire.
Leon Cooper saw the whole thing. And after surviving his first trip into that bloody nightmare, he had to turn around, head back out to the troop ship, and bring fresh young men into the meatgrinder. Again and again.
That would be enough for any 22 year old. But after surviving Tarawa, Leon began training to do it again — which he did, at a tiny speck in the Pacific called Iwo Jima.
Part I of Leon Cooper’s Soldier Story — Tarawa – can be found here. Part 2 will deal with Iwo Jima and the Atomic Bombs, and Part 3 will follow his Return to Tarawato discover a battlefield covered in garbage and human waste, and the unspeakable disgrace of having hundreds of fallen American heroes — including a man posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor — buried under parking lots and septic tanks.
There are somewhat graphic images, and a few moments of salty language — but this is something I would encourage you to watch with your families, simply because it is so heartbreaking. If we do not often remember the cost of our freedoms, we will surely lose them. Listening to what these boys did for us — and that’s what they were: teen-aged boys, for the most part – brought home to me the debt we owe these remarkable men. It is the very least we can do to listen to their stories. They are amazing stories, funny and tragic and full of wisdom, and I mean to tell as many of them as I can, from World War 2 up through the present.
But to do that, I will need your help. If you feel as strongly about these segments as I do, would you help us get them seen by emailing as many people as you can, by copying and pasting the following link:
I would never ask this for myself, but I am asking you now for Leon and for all of the millions of other heroes that surround us in line at the grocery store or sitting in the next car on the highway. Their greatest quality is their almost universal humility, which is what I admire most about them even as I realize it is the reason we hear so little of their enormous sacrifice. My ability to continue this series — which is very labor- and time-intensive on my part — will depend on the segements getting enough views to make the game worth the candle.
And if any of you would care to leave coments for Leon in the comment section, I will collect and forward them to him as a small token of the gratitude you will certainly feel once you hear his amazing story.
BW
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23 Comments
1. Bill R.:The father of one of my best friends passed away last year. He had lost both legs at the knees in WW2. For some reason while growing up I always thought it had happened at Tarawa. When he passed away,I found out he had lost them on the beach at Iwo Jima. My own father was Air/Sea Rescue with the Air Corps in the Pacific. He just began to open up about his experiences a few years ago. What your generation did for the world must never be forgotten. Thank you ofr your service and God Bless You.
Jul 14, 2009 - 1:49 pm 2. Ben Bennett:Bill, even though history’s fickle finger doesnt give Tarawa the limelight it deserves, the USMC holds it and its warriors in a high place. My dad’s cousin, and my namesake, Granville Boyd was in this battle. My first Sgt 10 years later in Okinawa told us grunts about it. He wasnt grandiose, just plain spoken and haunted by the memories of buds who gave it all there.
Jul 14, 2009 - 8:15 pm 3. Larry:Please thank Leon, we owe these guys more than there are words to convey. Thanks for doing this. Will circulate it to all my friends.
Thanks Sailor.
Jul 15, 2009 - 3:21 pm 4. marlowe:Absolutely amazing. What a fine gentleman, Leon Cooper.
My thanks and sincere appreciation to you and your comrades in arms.
Jul 15, 2009 - 4:26 pm 5. Mary*Ann:Mr. Cooper,
My father was a coxswain on a Higgins boat in New Guinea. Another relative by marriage was a Marine who fought at Tarawa. Neither was able to speak very much about that time. Thank you for telling your story. Thank you for all that you did. I think of all of you, veterans then and now…and remind myself everyday that I must live a life worthy of all that you sacrificed.
Jul 15, 2009 - 9:32 pm 6. WayneB:My father served on a Destroyer Escort in the Pacific. He doesn’t talk much about it (and from the information at the ibiblio HyperWar project, his ship, the USS Griswold, had a comparatively easy time of it). Mostly he tells about people and places (like the native boys who would dive for coins tossed over the side of the ship, or climbing a mountain on one of the islands they visited), though he does mention what good gunners were on his ship, and how someone accidentally fired a “K” gun toward the Enterprise when they were at a rendezvous.
Jul 16, 2009 - 7:07 am 7. Jim Thompson:Mr. Cooper,
As a combat veteran, I sincerely appreciate your service at such a crucial time for our nation. As I watched this account, I first noticed the remarkable bravery displayed by not only you, but the young men you ferried into the very gates of hell.
I feel that the most important aspect of this story is that while the Marines each hit the beach once that day, you did it several times. Being a former paratrooper, I know that the hardest part of courage is repeating it. The first time you really do not know what you are in for, for all the rest – you do!
Jul 16, 2009 - 9:46 am 8. Cain:Thank you Mr. Cooper. Because of men like you and my father and my uncles, I’ll never have to know the true horror of battle. God bless all of you.
Jul 16, 2009 - 6:00 pm 9. Nels:Ben Bennett is right Bill. In 1996 when I went into Marine Corps boot camp, we learned about Tarawa. I had never even heard of the place before that, and somehow thought I knew every battle the Marines were in. The Marine Corps teaches about the past and about the valor of the Marines before us. Marines feel it’s a duty to live up to the standard set before them….
Semper Fi Leathernecks
Jul 16, 2009 - 8:28 pm 10. chris keith:My own father who passed back in 97, was a gunners mate on a destroyer escort. He had several ships of that class sunk out from under him. The last ship that he was on the Taussig, survived the war. My father served in both the Atlantic, and the pacific. he survived nights at sea while the men around him were being eaten by sharks. He was injured from a fall from the 5 inch mount in which he served. He lived his whole life in constant pain because of it. But he worked as a plumber for general dynamics till he retired at 65. I can’t ever remember my father not working or staying home because he was sick. the war Broke my dad. He had a problem with alcohol and it finally did what German u-boats, Japanese kamikaze and the sharks could not, My dad died of cirrhosis. What I know of my fathers war record, I had to force out of him when he was drunk. I know he received a presidential commendation for bravery, I know it was personally presented to him by Admiral Halsey. The details are sketchy. My dad never talked about the glory of war. He mostly talked about the crappy food, his one ride in a submarine after being fished out of the water, the trouble with the shore patrol, How there was one port he loved to visit, because the shore patrol were marines. So he got to hit a shore patrol and a marine with one punch. How difficult it was to sneak alcohol on board ship. the sound of a 16 inch shell from one of the battleships as it hurtled over his tiny ship. and once in a soft broken voice I will never forget, of one after action after they had sunk a Japanese ship. He went into a boat with a .45 and a “boarding hook” the Japanese officers were supposed to wear arm bands, or something like that. there wasn’t enough room on the tiny escort to save everyone, so they were told to only take officers. Anyone else.. they were supposed to push back in the water with the hook, and if they tried to climb aboard, use the .45. My Father hated the Japanese, even late in his life. Not so much I think for what they were, but they had forced him to do. You know in my whole life there were two things I never so my father do, one was swim. He always said he’s spent enough time in the water. The other was fire a weapon of any kind. Or even own one.
Sadly when I was growing up, I didn’t understand my Father. I saw as a cruel drunk, who lived to torment his family. Its now at 44 that I have a wife and Family of my own, and a much deeper appreciation and knowledge of what world war 2 was all about that I understand the forces that made him into the man I knew. The things that he had to have seen, and the things he was forced to do. The realization that growing up in a dysfunctional household with an alcoholic Father, has given me my own demons and ghosts, that haunt and drive me through life. I’m the youngest of 7, and for the most part my family is broken beyond repair. To many hurts, too many slights, and scars and bad memories. too much drugs, alcohol and mistrust. I can only imagine the Demons and Ghosts that haunted my Father. the things that they made him do, that he didn’t want to do. The alcohol to take the edge of the pain, to dull the memories. the misdirected anger, and rage that cause him to lash out at those closest to him. with all of that though he did his best to raise us, he never missed work was never unemployed. Never not once. Only now when I look in the mirror do I realize all the things my dad taught me with out ever having to say them directly. Put your family first, if your sick or hurting bills still need to be paid. There is no shame in hard work. Tough times dont last, Tough people do. Never quit.
Now I try and do two things, honor the memory of what my Father and what helped to bring about, by honoring and loving the Country he was willing to give his life for. IN many ways he DID give his life to his country. two to make sure that I face and deal with my Demons so that they can never ever Harm my little Ava.
Jul 17, 2009 - 10:16 am 11. The Kid:That we live on a rock where such events occur…
I’m fairly tough, but I just go limp when I think of the incredible brutality and sadism of the Japanese. The Germans either put you in camp or killed you on the spot, (unless you were Jewish) – but the Japanese tortured in unspeakable ways and enjoyed the hell out of it.
I’m sorry to hear that this had to be a part of your life Mr Cooper, and of many of the lives who were in their prime years in the mid 40’s.
I fear we’re going to screw around with the current enemies until the situation gets to the point where millions have to get involved – again.
Jul 18, 2009 - 6:16 pm 12. Catherine Wilson:I can hear the responses. My father . . my father . my father. . . So many of us boomers remember snippets of conversations overheard as our fathers recounted their war experiences while clusters of family members listened silently.
We owe so much to these men. And yes, the only way to even acknowledge the debt is to vigilantly guard the freedom that they so valiantly fought and died for.
My father was on Omaha Beach at 9 hours. I remember his stories recounting the dead stacked like cord wood.
He is gone now. I wonder what he would make of the current state of affairs in Washington today. I imagine he’d be shaking his wise dear head in disbelief.
Thank you Mr. Cooper. Thank you, Bill.
Jul 23, 2009 - 2:00 am 13. ic:http://www.hulu.com/watch/74507/return-to-tarawa
Leon Cooper, goes back to the hallowed battleground of Tarawa, site of the bloodiest three days in 20th Century American war history.
Jul 23, 2009 - 10:52 am 14. gswhite71:Bill, you and your production team deserve an emmy for your interview of Leon Cooper.
Jul 23, 2009 - 1:43 pm 15. marlowe:I thanked you, Leon Cooper, after watching Part I. I want to thank you again after watching Part II. Not much more I can say.
Jul 23, 2009 - 4:04 pm 16. USMCdaughter1:My Great Uncle was a survivor of Tarawa. Mr. Cooper, I wish there was something I could do to honor that in his name.
About a year ago, we were given an original article published about his experiences in our local paper. It’s very fragile now, yellowed with time, but it was priceless to me and my Dad. Upon my father’s passing, this original will be given to the Marine Corps. Heritage Foundation.
Jul 23, 2009 - 9:15 pm 17. Nahkhii:As a retired combat veteran, son of a WWII combat veteran and current Veterans Service Officer I am still amazed and humbled by the stories of the sacrifice, bravery, sense of duty and honor those men and women displayed.
God bless you, Leon, and all our comrades, both the living and those who have gone on before us. Thank you, sir.
And thank you, too, Bill for presenting Leon’s story.
Jul 24, 2009 - 5:02 am 18. Lily:Thank you, Leon Cooper, for serving the country so courageously and sharing your stories.
Jul 28, 2009 - 7:53 pm 19. Martha ::We must never,ever forget.
Sep 13, 2009 - 2:57 pm 20. jb:Thank you Leon
Leon Cooper is my hero. Thank you for all you did for us.
(In my youth I also aspired to be a whorehouse piano player)
Sep 14, 2009 - 7:08 pm 21. David Homoney:God Bless you Leon, thank you for your service and your sacrifice.
Sep 22, 2009 - 7:53 am 22. Poli Sci Professor:It is always essential to see and hear these stories, so that we never ever forget to remember.
Sep 29, 2009 - 8:59 pm 23. Ray Bettoni:I served on the USS Tarawa LHA-1 from 1982-1985 and then again from 1993-1996. The USS Tarawa LHA-1 is a Landing, helicopter and assault ship. When deployed it carries 3000 marines, Harrier Jump jets, Cobra Attack helicopters and other various Marine aircraft as well as the LCAC landing hover craft and a permanent US Navy crew of about 700 sailors. Part of our indoctrination aboard the ship was a film on the battle of Tarawa. This was a US Navy film and not one created by any civilian media so it was not edited to leave out the bad parts. It was very graphic. It was like the old drivers Ed film, blood on the highway only on steroids. The images still burn in my mind today. It made us appreciate not only the sacrifices made on that day but also the marines we would be serving with onboard the Tarawa. Because of that film I now understand why they call them the greatest generation. I personally would like to thank Leon and to let him know I consider it an honor to call him a shipmate and a fellow American.
Oct 3, 2009 - 8:42 pmI would also like to thank you Bill for bringing this story forward. This is the kind of stuff that should be taught in American schools instead of studding the Koran, or how to properly wear a condom.