John Corneilus Cooper was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Cooper, both since deceased, of Lamar, Colorado. He was born at Las Animas, Bent County, Colorado, on the 19th of February, 1890, and lived there during his boyhood until his parents moved to Lamar. At the latter place he received a high school education. John came to Nevada in the early part of 1918. He was a bookkeeper by profession, but worked as clerk in various occupations. At the time he entered the service (June 25, 1918) he was living in Ely in White Pine County, and he was among the White Pine lads who represented Nevada in one of the contingents to Camp Lewis, Washington. After serving in the 12th Company, 3d Battalion, 166th Depot Brigade, he was transferred on July 15th to Company A, 160th Infantry, 40th Division. On August 8th, less than two months after entering the ranks, he sailed for the scene of conflict.

The following month saw stirring scenes in the American Army. St. Mihiel fell before our First Army on September 12th-13th, and a week later our divisions were massing in the Meuse-Argonne region for action on a far greater scale. On September 16th, Private Cooper was sent with replacements to Company F, 112th Infantry, 28th Division, to which division had been assigned the place on our left wing next to the 77th Division in The Argonne Forest.

The battle broke at dawn on the morning of September 26th. From the Argonne on the left to the Meuse on the right, a distance of about eighteen miles, the American lines went over with a determination that meant nothing short of ultimate victory. The divisions in the center made a deep advance during the 26th-27th, but the 77th and left wing of the 28th could not realize such progress in the tangled mazes of the Argonne Forest, which resulted in the 77th and part of the 28th being held up while the right of the 28th swept northward with the rest of the line. A bow in the line was inevitable. By the night of the 27th, the 28th Division’s line had swung north past Varrenes and Montblainville and turned westward, keeping contact wit the 77th to the southward on its left and the 35th to the northeast on its right, until it was stretched out in a long letter L turned backward, and was facing both north and west. This was the day on Which John C. Cooper made the supreme sacrifice (September 27th, 1918). Just at what spot he fell is not known, but records show that he was killed in action somewhere on a slope of the Argonne the day the 28th captured Montblainville. Two sisters, Mrs. Ellen B. Skinner and Mrs. Louise Cooper Everett, both of Lamar, Colorado remain to cherish the memory of their soldier brother. To them, as to his many friends, he will always be as he was before the Colors called him, a true American, with his jovial and happy disposition, and with a great love in his heart for his Country and his people.