Edward L Cooper Jr

Bravo Company

1968-1969

Mr. Edward Lee Cooper, Jr., 72, of Schuyler, joined his family and friends in a better place, on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 with his loving family by his side.

Edward was born in Utica, on December 17, 1949, the son of Edward Lee and Marion (Blair) Cooper. He was raised in Utica, was a graduate of Utica Free Academy and Mohawk Valley Community College. Edward honorably served in the US Marine Corp, 1st Recon, Bravo Company, during the Vietnam War. On August 19, 1995, Edward was united in marriage with Robyn L. Joswick, a loving and devoted union of 26 years. For many years, until his retirement, Edward was employed with Northland Communications in Utica. He was a member and Quarter Master of VFW post 8728 in Schuyler. Edward enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, blowing off fireworks and especially spending time with family and friends. He will also be remembered for his gift as a great story teller.

Mr. Cooper is survived by his beloved wife, Robyn; his cherished daughter, Abigail Lee Cooper and Jedadiah Gaudin of Utica; two sisters and one brother-in-law, Louann and Edward Thayer of Oriskany and Donna Dundon of AZ; one brother and sister-in-law, Steve and Starlyn Cooper of OK; his mother-in-law, Patricia Joswick of Whitesboro; two aunts, Hilda Racey and Mary Cooper, both of Winchester, VA; many nieces and nephews, especially, Lukas Siegfried, Carrie and Paul Scata, Edward and Brenda Thayer and John Cooper as well as many cousins, especially Doug Blair whom he shared a brother-like relationship with; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jeff and Mindy Joswick of Cadyville, NY, and after 42 years, was reunited with his point man, Kelly Campbell of Winchster, VA. He also leaves his loyal canine companion, General Bubba Lee Cooper and his grand dogs, Dez and DeMarcus. He was predeceased by his parents, Edward and Marion, brother, Daniel Cooper and father-in-law, Robert Joswick.

Visitation for family and friends is Tuesday, August 2, 2022 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Heintz Funeral Home, 408 Herkimer Rd., N. Utica, followed by a service at 6:00 p.m. at the conclusion of visitation. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Schuyler VFW post 8728, 240 Wood Lane, Utica, NY 13502 in Edward’s memory.

Messages of sympathy may be shared at

Www.heintzfuneralservice.net

On 12/14/2022 11:25 AM  Robyn Cooper wrote:


I hope I'm getting this information to the right person, my husband Edward L Cooper Jr Bravo Co 1968-1969
Passed away on July 27, 2022. He was a Member on the 1streconbn website and I'd like to get the information updated. If you have any questions my name is Robyn Cooper

Thank you so much for your help
Robyn

Email 

Robyn,

So sorry to hear about your husband passing. He will be greatly missed by all his brothers in 1st recon. We give thanks for Ed's life. I will post it on our website soon. Sorry for the delay in responding to your email. If there's anything I can do just let me know.

I remember Ed he was a good man. I can't believe he's gone I was corresponding with him in June of 2022 by email about CPL Harry Steven Oneto "Mouse". Ed and I were in Bravo Company at the same time. Ed was in the 1st platoon, he worked as a Radioman for teams Grim Reaper, Albrook and Panama Hat. I'll add a couple of his patrol reports to his memorial page and I will add Ed to my project "Some Give It All" that I've been working on for the last two or three years now. This project/story is a work in progress over the next 5 years.It will include over 200 1st Recon Battalion Marines and Over100 Patrol Reports from all companies in 1st recon from 1967-1970. You can follow the project at: https://1streconbn.org/sgt-jim-southall-story.html

I'm so sorry for your loss. You're in my thoughts and prayers Robyn...

Rest in Peace my Brother.

Semper Fi

Floyd Ruggles

1st Recon Battalion Association

Membership Director/Webmaster

Corresponding with Ed in June of 2022 about

CPL Harry Steven Oneto "Mouse"

For Veteran’s Day I thought I would share the following thread of emails I had with a High School student from Southport, Indiana; Chloe Graef.

Dear Edward Cooper,

            My name is Chloe, and I go to Southport High School in Indiana. We're doing a project on the fallen in Vietnam. My project is on CPL Harry Steven Oneto and I saw your comment on thewall-USA.com. I take it you served with him? Would you mind telling me anything you knew about him?

    Thank you so much,

                            Chloe

 

Chloe, yes I did serve with Cpl. Oneto, and was with him at the time of his death. I remember him as being short, maybe 5'5" and wiry, a little tough Marine. He was well liked by all his team mates. We all called him "Mouse". We would sometimes go and watch an outdoor movie when not in the jungle and maybe drink a few beers together. He was with 1st Recon Battalion 'B' Company. He was our recon team leader at that time. We were on patrol in the mountainous jungle region northwest of DaNang. After a firefight with Vietcong troops along a valley riverbed, we were trying to cross the swift water to assess the situation. As we tried to wade across the very swift water, Mouse was swept away in the current. Marine divers were helicoptered in and he was found the next day. It was a sad day for us all.

If you have any questions you can forward them and I will try to answer.

 

Also, I went this spring to Virginia to meet with a former Recon Marine teammate that was also there whom I had not seen since I left Viet Nam in June 1969, Kelly Campbell. It was a very heartfelt experience for the both of us. We talked of Mouse and others and shared pictures that we had. It was great to see him after all these years. 

 

I do not have any pictures of Cpl. Oneto but maybe he does. I will look into it for you.

 

It is good to know that these young men who gave their lives are not forgotten.

 

Ed Cooper

 

Wow, thank you so much for responding. I can't imagine what that must have been like. We read the book "The Things They Carried" as a class and that combined with doing research I have a whole new respect for those who have served. So thank you so much for your service. I'm glad to know the whole story; I only had bits and pieces before. I know that I might have also been related to Cpl. Oneto (through marriage) my mother has been trying to find out information about that side of her family too, so I know she will appreciate this as well. Thanks for looking into getting pictures, as of right now I only have his main portrait picture. Would you by chance have any memories you'd like to tell? They wouldn't have to include Cpl. Oneto; my class would enjoy it either way. Thanks so much one again.

 

Chloe

 


Chloe, let me think about this, and try to maybe put something together for you. I have just this year tried to get in touch with my team mates from this period in my life and find that many are already gone. 

I would say that the closeness of us all at that time was something you never forget. The good times outweighed the bad times. 

What is remembered is the sometimes never ending rain, always cold showers, the oppressive heat and humidity, the beauty of the jungle reminded me of Avatar, and the simple pleasures of a news paper from home or any ones home. To find a flush toilet was like finding gold.

One patrol that our whole team went on together was to last maybe five days but because of rain and low clouds we were stuck out in the jungle mountains for twelve days. It rained constantly. We only carried food for maybe five days. They airdropped food at one point but we never got it, oops. We found small unripe bananas, too bitter to eat. We slept in the mud cuddled up to the jungles huge trees. Our feet were wet and wrinkled so much the pain was awful. 

Finally the copters came in to get us out and just as they were about to land shots came from the trees and they flew away, our hearts sank. Gunships came in and fired around us and soon we could hear the helicopters coming back. We were picked up and when we returned to our base, all of our company was there to greet us and they carried our packs back to our area for us. It was great to feel that your comrades cared for you. We went straight to the chow hall were they had a special meal just for us. It tasted great even if it was still mess hall food.

 

I hope this helps, and thank you and your class for thinking of us. It feels good to be appreciated for your service; it wasn't always that way when we came home.

 

Sincerely, Edward Cooper, 1st Recon Marine

 

Wow, I can't imagine. Thanks for telling me, I'll be sure to share that. Thank you for taking time to help me.

Chloe

 

Chloe, talked to my teammate, Kelly Campbell.  He has pictures of Cpl. Oneto and will try to forward to me soon. I will then forward to you.

Ed Cooper

 

That would be great, thanks. I presented my project the other day, my fault for waiting to start, but I would really like to see those pictures.

Chloe

 

Let me know how it went. I am dad with a daughter who is a junior in h/s.

Ed Cooper

 

Ah ok, I think it went very well, it made most everyone cry. I think, with the information I had, it's the best it could be. I definitely quoted you, hope you don't mind. :)

Chloe

 

This is Kory, Kelly Campbell's son.  He told me the story of this picture and I'm so glad to be able to help.  I'm trying to get the picture to be a little clearer, but it's taking a little longer than I anticipated, but here is what I have so far and the original.  Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this project.

.

.

.

.

.

.

..

Cpl. Harry S. Oneto

 Camp Riesner, Da Nang, Vietnam

 

Kory, thank you for sending the picture. Hope your dad gets his computer up and running, I sure would like a copy of the cd you made for him. Maybe we will meet you when I come down in the spring.

Ed Cooper

 

Wow, thanks so much for finding those for me. It's nice to be able to put a face to a name instead of his military profile picture. It helps picture his story more.

Chloe Graef

Corporal Harry Steven Oneto, Jr

Thanks Ed for the email. Sorry it took so long to get back to you but I've been out of town on vacation. I'm going to post your email on the website if that's okay with you? It brings back some old memories. I was on that rescue recovery Mission. I remember setting up a perimeter along the river as the divers work to recover Mouse. I remember Mouse, he just started his second Tour of Duty in Vietnam.

Rest in Peace Brother...

S/F
Floyd

Edward L Cooper Jr

Bravo Company

1968-1969

Patrol Reports

coming soon