Please join us this coming Monday, May 6, 2013, for the next meeting of the Huffman Prairie Aviation Historical Society, when Paul Cooper will give a presentation entitled “Tactical Airlift in Desert Storm” (view announcement flyer PDF).
The meeting and presentation will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center at 2380 Memorial Road (intersection of State Route 444 and Kauffman Road), Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. There is ample free parking, and light refreshments will be provided.
Brigadier General Paul R. Cooper retired in 2002 as commander of the Air Force Reserve’s 445th Airlift Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He completed almost 35 years of military service with the United States Air Force and the Air Force Reserve. He is also a retired GS-15 Civil Servant Air Reserve Technician. He recently completed a Masters degree in aviation history; volunteers extensively at the National Museum of the Air Force; and has served on councils at the national level for both the Air Force Association and the Reserve Officers Association. He is past President of the University of Dayton’s senior LifeLong Learning Institute and moderates courses on history and airpower.
General Cooper is a native of Seattle, Wash. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant from the University of Washington Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1967. He has been a wing commander twice, a group commander, a regional support group commander, a squadron commander, and the installation commander at two Air Force Reserve bases and the NATO base in Bosnia. He has held a variety of key staff positions including chief of staff at two numbered air forces. Recalled to active duty during Operation Desert Storm, he commanded a composite C-130 unit that deployed to the Middle East for six months. He was later selected to return to extended active duty in 1996 to command Tuzla NATO Air Base in Bosnia. The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (including one with “V” device) has been bestowed eight times on units he has led.
He is a command pilot with over 12,000 flying hours in jet aircraft. His numerous decorations include: the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, 3 Legions of Merit, the Bronze Star, and 3 Air Medals.