Lot 2775

Description

Australia, Legion of Frontiersmen, Medal of Merit. A3 2063 Capt. G.G.Cooper LF. Impressed. Without ribbon, otherwise uncirculated.

Ex Warwick G. Cary Collection.
Flight Lieutenant Garry Gordon Cooper was a highly decorated Australian fighter pilot who served for a year with the United States as a forward Air Controller in the Vietnam War. During his service he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by Australia and various USA awards including the Air Force Cross twice, the Silver Star, and many other USA awards as well as several Republic of Vietnam awards. He was also nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honour for outstanding bravery when he single-handedly killed ten of the enemy, two in hand-to-hand combat. The US General nominating him knew that he could not receive the Medal of Honour because he was not an American citizen but he fully expected that Cooper would receive the Victoria Cross. Unfortunately, for various reasons, that did not happen. After the war Garry Cooper became a commercial airline pilot attaining the rank of Captain and flew for various airlines, Australian and international, before retiring in 2000.