Cooper, Marcus F. (Marcus Fleming), 1909-2005

Marcus Fleming Cooper (1909-2005) was born in Columbus, Georgia, graduated from Culver Military Academy in 1927, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in General Sciences from Georgia Tech in 1931. He was commissioned as a reserve officer in the Infantry in 1931, and completed Primary Flying School at Randolph Field, Texas. On October 14, 1932, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps Reserve. After a brief career in the commercial airline industry, he received a regular commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1938, and was assigned to the 19th Bomb Group at March Field, California. After graduating from Aircraft Engineering School at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio in June, 1941, Lieutenant Cooper served in England during World War II as a special F-80 project officer. Following his service in the war, Cooper graduated from the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama (1947), and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair, Washington, DC (1951). He served the Air Force in weapons research and development and administrative roles at the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, and the Federal Aviation Agency. He became commander of the Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, California in 1957. General Cooper's career highlights include logging over 10,000 hours flying time as a command pilot. He was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, the American Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. He retired from active duty on August 1, 1964.