Garry G. Cooper, born in Adelaide, South Australia, was involved in aviation at an early age and spent his life in the air, amassing over 25,000 hours of flight time in 41 different aircraft. After a short time in various commercial flying jobs, Garry joined the Royal Australian Air Force where he flew numerous aircraft including a Beaver float plane in Antarctica and the Mirage III-O. During his time in the RAAF, Garry was assigned to the USAF in Vietnam where he acted as a Forward Air Controller. Here Garry earned the Air Force Cross and has the distinction of being the only foreigner to have earned this decoration. Following his time in the RAAF, Garry spent several decades flying airliners and concluded his flying career in airshows.
Garry began his life in aviation after completing secondary education in 1954 when he worked for three years with the Royal Aero Club of South Australia as an aircraft mechanic. At the same time, he was learning to fly on gliders due to not being old enough to be certified on powered aircraft. Garry then gained his commercial pilot license at the age of 19 years. He then flew for the Flying Doctor Service in outback Australia before taking up a position in New Guinea with Gibbes Sepik Airways in 1957. He accumulated 3,500 hours on light and medium aircraft, including the Junker 52, in New Guinea before joining the Royal Australian Air Force in early 1960.
On graduation as top officer pilot in 1961 he went, in turn, to the following assignments: School of Air Navigation, Pilot C-47, RAAF Antarctic Flight, Seaplane pilot, 77 & 79 Squadrons, Fighter pilot F-86, 75 & 76 Squadrons, Fighter pilot Mirage III-O. Cooper arrived in Vietnam in April 1968 and was assigned to the 19th TASS, USAF where he served as a forward air controller with the 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, USA, flying the Cessna O-1 Birddog. He returned to Australia in January 1969 where he was assigned to ground attack duties on the Mirage before resigning in October 1969. Military service was followed by a career of domestic and international airline flying. Based in various countries around the world he operated numerous types, including the Boeing 747 for ten years. He is known for safely landing a Boeing 707 with only 1 fully operation engine and saving the lives of 116 passengers and crew. This would have been a catastrophic event if not for the airmanship and skill of Captain Garry Cooper.
On retirement in 2000, Cooper continued flying war-bird aircraft at air shows and in movies. This renewed his acquaintance with the Bird-dog including the O-2, Avenger, Focke-Wulf 149, Zero and A-26. He has flown over 25,000 hours on 41 different types of aircraft. He has always shared his love of flying to do so and continues to do so today.
