Corporal killed in combat in Afghanistan

Corporal killed in combat in Afghanistan
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday May 21, 2008 6:43:08 EDT

A corporal deployed with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in Afghanistan was killed in combat Monday, Marine officials said.

Cpl. William J. Cooper, 22, of Europa, Miss., died in Helmand province, where the 24th MEU has been fighting insurgents for several weeks.

He was assigned to Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, and based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., II Marine Expeditionary Force officials at Lejeune said Tuesday in a statement.

Cooper joined the Corps on Dec. 27, 2004, and joined 1/6 on March 3, 2006, the statement said. He was promoted to corporal Aug. 1 and had received the Good Conduct Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Medal, as well as two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.

Last week, another member of Cooper’s company, Lance Cpl. Sam Hansen, was shot in the head by an insurgent in Garmser, a town in Helmand where Marines have faced fierce opposition from the Taliban. Hansen’s helmet slowed the bullet, and he escaped with a wound that needed stitches, bullet fragments in his scalp, and bruising and swelling of the brain. He has been sent back to the U.S., Marine officials said.

Article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/05/marine_death_052008w/



uhc comment: To date five hundred three soldiers have been killed in the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan --> http://icasualties.org/oef/