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Name: Norman Cooper
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) Norman Cooper
Country: United States
Rank: Lieutenant
Services: Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force
Units: 73  (RAF)
Victories: 6
Born: 02 October 1888
Place of Birth: Schenectady, New York, USA
Died: December 1960
Place of Death: Pinellas, Florida, USA
 
 
Norman Cooper's real name was Ernest Sidney Tooker. He enlisted in Canada on 28 September 1916 under the name Norman Cooper from Brockville, Ontario. After serving for more than a year with the 3rd Canadian Divisional Supply Column, he joined the Royal Flying Corps in August 1917. A Sopwith Camel pilot, he was posted to 73 Squadron at Planques in 1918. Of his six confirmed victories, four of them were Fokker D.VIIs.

1910 living in Northampton, New York; 1920 living in Schenectady, New York with his wife Pauline; 1930 living in Cleveland, Ohio. Tooker never used his middle name—only the middle initial.
 
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
2nd Lt. (A./Capt.) Norman Cooper (73rd Squadron). (FRANCE)
   A fearless and skilful airman who has destroyed two enemy aircraft and driven down three others out of control. On 3rd October certain of our troops were held up by a body of the enemy. Observing this Second Lt. Cooper dived and engaged them, driving them out of their trenches with machine-gun fire, and so enabled our troops to advance.
Supplement to the London Gazette, 8 February 1919 (31170/2037)
 
Victories
Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location
1 25 Jul 1918 1945 73 Sopwith Camel (D6484) LVG C (DES) 1 Cohan
2 30 Jul 1918 1400 73 Sopwith Camel (F6063) LVG C (DES) 2 N of Vezilly
3 19 Aug 1918 0810 73 Sopwith Camel (F6063) Fokker D.VII (DES) SE of Combles
4 25 Aug 1918 1830 73 Sopwith Camel (F6063) Fokker D.VII (DES) NE of Bapaume
5 15 Sep 1918 1100 73 Sopwith Camel (C3312) Fokker D.VII (OOC) Cambrai
6 15 Sep 1918 1815 73 Sopwith Camel (C3312) Fokker D.VII (DES) NE of Bourlon Wood
1 Shared with Lt William Stephenson
2 Shared with Lt Emile Lussier, Lt A McConnel-Wood
 
Books
American Aces of World War 1
by Norman Franks, Harry Dempsey (Illustrator) / Paperback / Osprey Publishing (September 25, 2001)
Over the Front
by Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey / Hardcover / Grub Street the Basement (May 1992)
In Clouds of Glory: American Airmen Who Flew With The British During The Great War
by James J. Hudson / Paperback / University of Arkansas Press (October 1, 1990)
 
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