Gordon Cooper
1927 – 2004

Gordon Cooper

American astronaut (1927–2004)

racing automobile drivermilitary flight engineeraircraft pilottest pilotmilitary officer
Born
1927-03-06, Shawnee
Died
2004-10-04
Birthplace state
Oklahoma

Biography

Leroy Gordon Cooper Jr. was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma in 1927 and worked as an aerospace engineer, test pilot, Air Force pilot, and astronaut. He learned to fly as a child and served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II before joining the Air Force in 1949. Cooper qualified as a test pilot in 1956 and was selected as an astronaut in 1959, becoming the youngest of the seven original astronauts in Project Mercury. He died in 2004.

Occupation

Gordon Cooper is recorded as a racing automobile driver, a military flight engineer, a aircraft pilot, a test pilot, a military officer, a engineer and a astronaut, born in Oklahoma (1927–2004).

Connections to Oklahoma

Gordon Cooper was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma in 1927. Explore other notable figures from Oklahoma, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from Oklahoma›Oklahomahistory ›Historic sites in Oklahoma›
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Everything a full report reveals about Shawnee

Gordon Cooper came from Shawnee. A full Aubrey report on Shawnee pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Oklahoma

Other historical figures born in Oklahoma, ranked by historical prominence.

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Frequently asked about Gordon Cooper

Who was Gordon Cooper?
Gordon Cooper was American astronaut (1927–2004), born in Oklahoma (1927 – 2004).
When and where was Gordon Cooper born?
Gordon Cooper was born on 1927-03-06 in Shawnee.
When did Gordon Cooper die?
Gordon died on 2004-10-04.
What was Gordon Cooper known for?
Gordon Cooper is recorded as a racing automobile driver, a military flight engineer, a aircraft pilot, a test pilot, a military officer, a engineer and a astronaut.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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