Class of 1997
Gave Last Full Measure 21 July 2008

 Major Chris "Fireball" Cooper died in an B-52 crash off the coast of Guam on
21 July 2008.  He was the aircraft commander and pilot in command.  An
aircraft system malfunction - an uncommanded "nose down" position on the
horizontal stabilizer - caused the mishap.  

From af.mil:

"Major Cooper was born in Massena, New York. He attended the University of Texas where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1997. He entered the Air Force in 1997 and was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Major Cooper completed Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma in 1998. After receiving his wings, he attended B-52 pilot qualification training at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana and was assigned to fly the B-52 at Barksdale's 20th Bomb Squadron, 2d Bomb Wing.

In 2000, Major Cooper transferred to the 9th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Hood, Texas where he served as an Air Force Liaison Officer. During his service in this capacity, he deployed to Iraq in the 4th Infantry Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In 2003, Major Cooper returned to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana where he upgraded to B-52 Aircraft Commander and was assigned to fly at the 96th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Wing. At the 96th, Major Cooper served as a flight commander and was selected to attend Squadron Officer School in residence at Maxwell AFB, Alabama in 2005. In 2006, Major Cooper deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, providing B-52 support to the fight in Afghanistan. In 2007, he became the Chief of Strategic Plans Division where he played a pivotal role in ensuring the 96th met its conventional and nuclear requirements. In early 2008, he completed the Air Command and Staff College non-residence course and upgraded to the position of B-52 Instructor Pilot.

In May, 2008, Major Cooper deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam in support of the Department of Defense's continuous bomber presence in the Pacific. There he served as an Assistant Director of Operations for the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron.

Major Cooper was a Command Pilot with 1885 hours of flying time including 16 combat hours. His awards include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, and Army Achievement Medal."

From acc.af.mil:

"The remains of six B-52 Stratofortress aircrew members killed when their aircraft crashed off the northwest coast of Guam July 21 were laid to rest in a ceremony held Nov. 14 at Arlington National Cemetery.

Dozens of family members, friends and Airmen gathered at the graveside to bury Col. George T. Martin, Maj. Christopher M. Cooper, Maj. Brent D. Williams, Capt. Michael K. Dodson, 1st Lt. Robert D. Gerren and 1st Lt. Joshua D. Shepherd. Five of the six aircrew members were assigned to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and Colonel Martin was a flight surgeon and deputy commander of the 36th Medical Group at Andersen Air Base, Guam.

The Barksdale Airmen were deployed to Guam with the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron as part of DOD's continuous bomber presence mission in the Pacific. The bomber was flying a training mission and was scheduled to perform a flyover for Guam's Liberation Day parade when it crashed.

"We find that this nation, for nearly 150 years, has done what we're doing today. That is to bring our honored sons and daughters here to Arlington National Cemetery to take their place with other patriots who have been laid to rest here," said Chaplain (Col.) Charlie Stutts, who officiated at the ceremony along with Chaplain (Col.) Martin McGuill. "Men and women who answered the call of their country--who all served that this nation might be free. Some, like those today, gave of themselves fully. Today as we come to this final resting place, we show our respect and honor (them)."

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Norton A. Schwartz paid their respects to the Airmen's families as well. General Schwartz presented a representative of each aircrew member's family with a U.S. flag.

"It was an honor to present the flag to our cherished families as a token of our sincere remorse for their loss and our utmost gratitude for their family's sacrifice," said General Schwartz. "We can never express the full magnitude of our respect for their selfless service in defense of our Nation."

From FOX 28:

"The Massena community is mourning one of its own - a decorated Afghanistan and Iraq veteran killed when the B-52 bomber he was piloting crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Guam on Monday.

Air Force Major Christopher Cooper graduated from Massena Central School in 1992.

Cooper’s body and that of another crew member were recovered Monday while the search goes on for four other members of the crew.

The unarmed bomber had been headed for a flyover in a parade celebrating the liberation of Guam from Japan.

Cooper was the son of longtime Alcoa spokesman Mike Cooper, who spent 16 years at Alcoa’s Massena operations.

“He was doing what he wanted to do in life and he was proud of it and we were proud of him,” said Mike Cooper.

Cooper, an 11 year veteran of the Air Force, would have celebrated his 34th birthday on August 10.

Retired Massena High School English teacher Lee Baines remembers Christopher Cooper not only as a family-oriented student, but also as playing an active role in the school’s drama club and musical theater programs.

“When I think about Chris, I think about family, his late mother, his brother Tim and his father Mike. Chris had many talents. He always knew he was going to be a pilot and he always knew he was going to go into the military,” said Baines."

During the 2008 OU vs. UT football game at Red River, a B-52 flyover occured in honor of Major Chris Cooper. The video can be seen here:

http://www.barksdale.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081107-033.wmv