Army Sgt. 1st Class Sean M. Cooley

Died February 3, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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35, of Ocean Springs, Miss.; assigned to the 150th Engineer Battalion, 155th Armor Brigade, Mississippi Army National Guard, Lucedale, Miss.; killed Feb. 3 when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device in northern Babil province, Iraq.

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Mississippi Guardsman killed in Iraq

By Holbrook Mohr

Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. — Sgt. 1st Class Sean Michael Cooley was killed in Iraq when an improvised explosive device exploded near his vehicle, Guard officials said Friday.

Cooley, 35, of Ocean Springs became the 21st soldier with Mississippi ties killed in the war on terror.

His family had no comment when contacted on Friday.

Cooley was assigned to the Mississippi Army National Guard’s Company B, 150th Combat Engineer Battalion headquartered in Lucedale. Guard officials said the Thursday blast is under investigation.

The 150th is attached to the 155th Brigade Combat Team that includes 3,500 soldiers from Mississippi and others from Vermont and Arkansas. The brigade underwent training at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg and left for the Middle East last month.

Laura Cooley, the soldier’s wife, had told The Associated Press during a Dec. 22 deployment ceremony for the 155th at Camp Shelby that she had mixed emotions about her husband heading into a war zone but she was “very proud” of him.

“Words can just not say the pride you feel,” she said at the time.

There were smiles and tears at the send-off ceremony that day as thousands of troops fell into formation under overcast skies. The families of many soldiers described the bittersweet moment — knowing that their loved ones would be home for Christmas but in war torn Iraq within weeks.

During the send-off ceremony only three days before Christmas, Laura Cooly said she looked forward to spending time with her husband when the unit was given a brief leave before shipping out.

“That is the most important thing,” she had said. “It’s going to be a big deal that they get to spend time with their families.”

Sean Cooley is the fifth Mississippi National Guard soldier to die in Iraq.

“Marsha and I are deeply saddened by another death of one of our Mississippians in uniform serving in Iraq,” Gov. Haley Barbour said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Cooley family and the other soldiers in his unit.”

Maj. Gen. Harold A. Cross, Mississippi’s adjutant general, called Cooley’s death a tragic loss.

“We pray daily for all our soldiers in harm’s way, and along with the Cooley family, I know all members of the Mississippi National Guard will mourn the loss of this brave soldier,” Cross said.

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Funeral services set for Guardsman killed in Iraq

JACKSON, Miss. — Funeral services are scheduled Friday for Sgt. 1st Class Sean Michael Cooley, a Mississippi National Guard soldier killed in Iraq.

Cooley died last Thursday when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle, Guard officials said.

Cooley, 35, of Ocean Springs was assigned to the Mississippi Army National Guard’s 150th Combat Engineer Battalion headquartered in Lucedale.

“From all accounts that I’ve heard, he was a model soldier and was well-respected among the ranks of everyone in his unit,” Guard spokesman Tim Powell said.

Military officials said the blast that killed Cooley is under investigation.

“Anytime a soldier is killed in action, an investigation takes place to determine if there are circumstances that contributed to the death other than the obvious,” Powell told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “That is standard operating procedure.”

Cooley’s family did not respond to messages on Tuesday.

His unit is attached to the 155th Brigade Combat Team that includes 3,500 soldiers from Mississippi and others from Vermont and Arkansas. The brigade underwent training at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg and left for the Middle East last month.

Cooley is the fifth Mississippi National Guard soldier to die in Iraq and the 21st soldier with Mississippi ties to give his life in the war on terror.

— Associated Press

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Mississippi soldiers in Iraq honor fallen comrade

KALSU, IRAQ — Sgt. 1st Class Sean Cooley was remembered as a hero this week during a memorial service in Iraq.

Cooley, a member of the 155th Brigade Combat Team, was killed by an improvised explosive device last week. He was assigned to the Mississippi Army National Guard’s Company B, 150th Combat Engineer Battalion headquartered in Lucedale. The 150th is attached to the 155th, which includes 3,500 soldiers from Mississippi and others from Vermont and Arkansas.

He was honored Wednesday at an operating base in Iraq.

Col. Augustus L. Collins, commander of the 155th, said he did not know Cooley well but would never forget him.

“To me, he is a hero, one that raised his hand to defend his country,” Collins said. “He gave his life on foreign soil protecting people that he didn’t even know. For that he will always be a hero to me.”

Other soldiers recalled Cooley’s caring nature.

Lt. Col. Roy Robinson, battalion commander for the 150th Engineer Battalion, said he remembered being in a bunk ill during the unit’s training when Cooley tapped him on the shoulder and offered Robinson some water and cough medicine.

“The picture of me opening my eyes and seeing Cooley standing there will be with me from now on.” Robinson said. “I believe Cooley would want us to continue what we have started here, and we should take it to the insurgents.”

— Associated Press

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Ceremony held for Mississippian killed in Iraq

BILOXI, Miss. — Members of three chapters of the Military Order of the Purple Heart met in Biloxi over the weekend to remember a Mississippi soldier who was killed in Iraq.

Retired Army Maj. Ernest Brandt presented the family of Sgt. 1st Class Sean Cooley with a plaque honoring the Ocean Springs man’s memory.

Cooley, a member of the 155th Brigade Combat Team, was killed Feb. 3 by an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the Mississippi Army National Guard’s Company B, 150th Combat Engineer Battalion headquartered in Lucedale. The 150th is attached to the 155th, which includes 3,500 soldiers from Mississippi and others from Vermont and Arkansas.

He was honored Saturday “for paying the price of freedom,” Brandt said.

“It’s a very nice honor, and a good thing they’re doing for Sean and all the men and women who serve in the military,” said Sean Cooley’s widow, Lori.

Representatives of the Gulf Coast, Diamondhead and newly formed Jackson County chapters of the Order of the Purple Heart participated in the presentation.

— Associated Press