birth_date: 1917-10-04 00:00:00
avg_rating: 4.02
name: Belton Y. Cooper
about: Belton Cooper grew up in Huntsville, Alabama and attended the Virginia Military Institute and the University of Michigan. He served as an Ordnance officer with the 3rd Armored Division during World War II. Mr. Cooper was awarded five service stars on his Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign medal: serving in the field from the Invasion of Normandy in 1944 through the Allied invasion of Germany in 1945. He was also awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation, the Belgian Fourragere and the Bronze Star Medal. His primary duty during the war was the "recovery, repair, and maintenance" of US tanks during the war. As part of that duty, he regularly traveled through "the void", an area ranging from a few miles to as many as 50 miles (80 km) between the Belton Cooper grew up in Huntsville, Alabama and attended the Virginia Military Institute and the University of Michigan. He served as an Ordnance officer with the 3rd Armored Division during World War II. Mr. Cooper was awarded five service stars on his Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign medal: serving in the field from the Invasion of Normandy in 1944 through the Allied invasion of Germany in 1945. He was also awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation, the Belgian Fourragere and the Bronze Star Medal. His primary duty during the war was the "recovery, repair, and maintenance" of US tanks during the war. As part of that duty, he regularly traveled through "the void", an area ranging from a few miles to as many as 50 miles (80 km) between the front lines and US supply trains, to deliver loss reports to commanders, which were too sensitive to transmit via radio.  He called this activity "running the gauntlet", due to the tendency of Allied armored forces to bypass some German elements in their advance, leaving pockets of enemy forces between the quickly advancing armor, and the trailing infantry units.After the war, Mr. Cooper completed his studies at the University of Michigan with a degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. He moved to Birmingham to work for Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. He also worked for U.S. Pipe &amp; Foundry Company for over 20 years, and for 33 years was President of the Herman Williams Company, Inc. His experiences in the European theater were the subject of his 1998 book "Death Traps: The Survival of an American Armored Division in World War II". ...more
death_date: 2007-05-26 00:00:00