The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private Robert E. Cooper (ASN: 37062581), United States Army, for gallantry in action on 20 September 1944, near ****, Holland. Private Cooper, a rifleman in a rifle squad, Company E, 2d Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, was sent in support of a machine gun position that was being continuously harassed by snipers hidden in the houses and buildings nearby. Private Cooper, on his own initiative, ran back under artillery and sniper fire and brought up a bazooka team and gave it the position of the hidden snipers and went after them, and knocked out three snipers. When he returned to his position Private Cooper was told by the machine gunner that snipers in the woods to his left had been giving him trouble. Private Cooper kept firing in the direction of the concealed snipers. This kept their attention directed to himself and away from the machine gun. After silencing the snipers in those woods, Private Cooper was killed by a sniper who had worked his way into a building directly behind his foxhole. Private Cooper by his own initiative had made possible the sustained fire of the machine guns, a material contribution to the success of the attack on ****. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.