thedrifter
11-01-08, 07:48 AM
Veteran's Day Story: On 65th Anniversary of Bloody Tarawa Battle, Concerned WWII Veteran Takes His Cause to Washington
By marketwire
MALIBU, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 10/31/08 -- Leon Cooper, author and veteran of the pacific war battle of "Bloody Tarawa" in WWII, is spearheading a clean-up effort to get rid of piles of garbage that continue to mount on Red Beach, hallowed ground where more than 3,000 U.S. marines were killed or wounded during three days of savagery, in one of the bloodiest battles in U.S. history. November 20-23, 2008 marks the 65th anniversary. Recently, Cooper took his concern to the President of the United States. He sent a letter to Bush urging him to get involved in the clean-up effort, and have the U.S. government restore Red Beach to its former pristine condition, as a permanent war memorial to the Marine and Navy armed forces servicemen who took part in the battle. See www.ballantinesbiz.com/LeonCooper/LetterToPresidentBush.pdf.
Earlier this year, Cooper made a return trip to Tarawa, meeting with public officials and local media. While there he made a shocking discovery -- more than 200 Americans still lie where they fell during that long ago battle. One of the dead is Congressional Medal of Honor winner, Lt. Bonnyman.
According to Cooper, "There has been no organized effort by our country since 1946 to identify, recover and repatriate these brave men who sacrificed all for our nation. Their families, relatives and friends deserve nothing less for this long overdue recognition."
For the past three years, he has been appalled by the lack of interest from U.S. government officials about the mounds of trash on the beach, and he has tried repeatedly to get their attention in this important matter.
He has taken his personal mission to the political top brass in Washington, DC, without much success. Only Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressman Henry Waxman have expressed an interest in his cause, with Waxman putting his comments into the Congressional Record.
During the week of December 7th, and as a reminder of Pearl Harbor, Mr. Cooper is going to Washington, DC, and plans to meet with both Feinstein and Waxman.
A documentary titled "Return to Tarawa: The Leon Cooper Story" is being narrated by acclaimed actor Ed Harris, with two major television channels expressing interest in airing it. Go to: www.returntotarawa.com. See high resolution poster for the movie: http://www.ballantinesbiz.com/LeonCooper/images/LeonCooper_Tarawa_hires.jpg
Mr. Cooper is available for interview. Copies of his books, "90 Day Wonder - Darkness Remembered," and "The War in the Pacific - A Retrospective," are also available upon request. For further information visit his Web sites at: www.90daywonder.net, or www.warinpacific.net, or his blogs: www.90daywonder.org or www.asmatteringofignorance.info. He can also be reached at
Leon Cooper P.O. Box 6030 Malibu, CA 90265 Tel: (310) 457-2832 Fax: (310) 457-2866 leoncooper@verizon.net
Ellie
By marketwire
MALIBU, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 10/31/08 -- Leon Cooper, author and veteran of the pacific war battle of "Bloody Tarawa" in WWII, is spearheading a clean-up effort to get rid of piles of garbage that continue to mount on Red Beach, hallowed ground where more than 3,000 U.S. marines were killed or wounded during three days of savagery, in one of the bloodiest battles in U.S. history. November 20-23, 2008 marks the 65th anniversary. Recently, Cooper took his concern to the President of the United States. He sent a letter to Bush urging him to get involved in the clean-up effort, and have the U.S. government restore Red Beach to its former pristine condition, as a permanent war memorial to the Marine and Navy armed forces servicemen who took part in the battle. See www.ballantinesbiz.com/LeonCooper/LetterToPresidentBush.pdf.
Earlier this year, Cooper made a return trip to Tarawa, meeting with public officials and local media. While there he made a shocking discovery -- more than 200 Americans still lie where they fell during that long ago battle. One of the dead is Congressional Medal of Honor winner, Lt. Bonnyman.
According to Cooper, "There has been no organized effort by our country since 1946 to identify, recover and repatriate these brave men who sacrificed all for our nation. Their families, relatives and friends deserve nothing less for this long overdue recognition."
For the past three years, he has been appalled by the lack of interest from U.S. government officials about the mounds of trash on the beach, and he has tried repeatedly to get their attention in this important matter.
He has taken his personal mission to the political top brass in Washington, DC, without much success. Only Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressman Henry Waxman have expressed an interest in his cause, with Waxman putting his comments into the Congressional Record.
During the week of December 7th, and as a reminder of Pearl Harbor, Mr. Cooper is going to Washington, DC, and plans to meet with both Feinstein and Waxman.
A documentary titled "Return to Tarawa: The Leon Cooper Story" is being narrated by acclaimed actor Ed Harris, with two major television channels expressing interest in airing it. Go to: www.returntotarawa.com. See high resolution poster for the movie: http://www.ballantinesbiz.com/LeonCooper/images/LeonCooper_Tarawa_hires.jpg
Mr. Cooper is available for interview. Copies of his books, "90 Day Wonder - Darkness Remembered," and "The War in the Pacific - A Retrospective," are also available upon request. For further information visit his Web sites at: www.90daywonder.net, or www.warinpacific.net, or his blogs: www.90daywonder.org or www.asmatteringofignorance.info. He can also be reached at
Leon Cooper P.O. Box 6030 Malibu, CA 90265 Tel: (310) 457-2832 Fax: (310) 457-2866 leoncooper@verizon.net
Ellie