USMC 5th Marines: Barney Earl Cooper (WIA Okinawa June 2–4, 1945)

davidbfpo · Jul 28, 2026

This post is created for Medic37658 a US member of ww2talk.com, who cannot get full access here after registration.

His thread on ww2talk.com is: USMC – Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines – Barney Earl Cooper (WIA Okinawa June 2–4, 1945)

Below is his first post (cited 100%):

Hello everyone,

I’ve been researching my great-grandfather’s World War II Marine Corps service and have reached the point where I’m hoping someone here may be able to point me toward records or information that I haven’t found.

His information is:

Corporal Barney Earl Cooper

USMC Service Number: 491431

Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division

MOS 604 – Machine Gun Crewman

Served from November 17, 1942, to November 1, 1945

From the records I’ve gathered so far, he served with K/3/5 throughout the Pacific campaign, including Cape Gloucester, Peleliu, and Okinawa. He was wounded during the Battle of Okinawa sometime between June 2–4, 1945, and received the Purple Heart. Unfortunately, he passed away in 1967 and never talked much about his wartime experiences.

So far I’ve been able to locate:

His casualty card

Separation papers

Multiple Company K muster rolls

Official 1st Marine Division Okinawa maps covering June 1–4, 1945

References to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines Special Action Report and 5th Marines S-3 Journal

Information showing the regiment was fighting around Tsukasan, Gisushi, Hill 57, and Hill 107 during the period he was wounded

What I’m hoping to find are:

Company K operational maps or overlays

3/5 battalion journals for June 2–4, 1945

Company K morning reports

Machine gun platoon rosters or organization

Company K or machine gun platoon photographs

Casualty lists identifying other Marines wounded alongside him

Any memoirs, oral histories, or personal papers from Company K veterans that mention those days on Okinawa

If anyone has experience researching K/3/5 or knows where these records might exist, I’d be grateful for any advice. Even if you’ve researched another Marine from Company K, I’d love to compare notes.

This project means a great deal to my family. My goal is to preserve Barney’s story and understand what happened to him and the Marines he served beside.

If anyone has researched Eugene Sledge’s Company K records, I’d especially appreciate hearing from you, since Barney served in the same company.

Thank you all for your time and any guidance you can provide.
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USMC 5th Marines: Barney Earl Cooper (WIA Okinawa June 2–4, 1945)

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