Born: June 24, 1924
Died: March 7, 1945
Campaigns Served: Namur, Saipan (wounded), Tinian, Iwo Jima (killed)
Highest Rank Attained: Corporal
Decorations:
Purple Heart with Gold Star
With Dog Company:
Private First Class Fred Cooksey was one of the original members of Dog Company, 24th Marines. He served as a gunner in the Third Machine Gun Platoon during the battle of Namur.
In March, 1944, "Ted" Cooksey was transferred to Charlie Company.
With Charlie Company
Cooksey continued serving as a gunner with Charlie Company's machine gun platoon. He was wounded in an ambush on July 8, 1944, during the battle of Saipan, but was returned to duty within days. Cooksey fought through the battle of Tinian, and was promoted to corporal in the fall of 1944.
Fred Cooksey was killed in the battle of Iwo Jima on March 7, 1945. He was buried in the Fourth Marine Division Cemetery; in 1949, he was reinterred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.