An online story by the Merimbula News Weekly about the fight to see a brave medic recognised for his heroic actions under fire in Vietnam has brought together the medic Private Ian Reid and members of his platoon, with the man he saved, after more than 30 years.
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Private Noel Pop Cooper was seriously injured during an ambush near Phuoc Loi, South Vietnam, on April 30,1970 when an M16 rifle which had a special cartridge to launch grenades, was hit by enemy fire.
Private Cooper suffered a wound to his jugular vein in his throat and Private Reid knew he had to elevate the wound. In a selfless act, he protected Private Cooper but exposed himself to enemy fire.
Were still in shock. Dad doesnt talk about it that much and to find all this randomly; its rediscovering dads history.
- Stacey Cooper
It is more than 30 years since Mr Cooper and Mr Reid were together at the Welcome Home Parade to honour the Vietnam veterans but in the meantime they lost touch and platoon members believed that Mr Cooper had died about 10 years ago.
But on Anzac Day, Mr Cooper's daughter Stacey Cooper, was putting Mr Cooper's photo online as she always does.
I don't know why but I just googled dad's name and up it popped, the story about him and Ian Reid.
I thought oh my God. A lot of this was all new for us and we were excited to read about it, Ms Cooper said.
Were still in shock. Dad doesn't talk about it that much and to find all this randomly; its rediscovering dad's history, she added saying that many of the online photos taken in Vietnam had not been seen before by the family.
Mr Cooper, who lives in Newcastle, said his daughter was on the computer and suddenly yelled at him.
I hadn't seen some of them since the Welcome Home Parade when I ran into Flappers that day, Mr Cooper said.
Flappers was Ian Reid's nick name, so called because of his prominent ears.
I couldn't remember a lot of the names, I needed to see the faces. Then I saw some of the photos, they got to me, Mr Cooper said.
I remember it that's for sure. I didn't black out. There was shit coming out (of my throat). Flappers was trying to help and trying to turn me one way and I was fighting him trying to turn the other way.
Flappers was trying to help and trying to turn me one way and I was fighting him trying to turn the other way.
- Noel 'Pop' Reid
I remember being on the chopper.
He said then they arrived at a medical facility.
I couldn't move, I couldn't blink there were six people either side of me; then they hit me with the biggest horse needle that run up my leg. That was the only time I yelled, Mr Cooper said.
He had lost a lot of blood and it took 18 months of rehabilitation before he returned to army duties again.
Mr Cooper spend 30 years in the army retiring in August 1999.
It was John Abernethy's story of his 48-year fight to get a medal for Ian Reid, that Mr Coopers daughter, Stacey saw online.
Mr Abernethy of Millingandi said that he believed Mr Cooper had died, but was contacted after Ms Cooper read the story online.
Pop had a great career in the army and then he went to ground, just dropped out of the scene, Mr Abernethy said.
We called him Pop because he had lost a lot of hair.
Before joining us in 7RAR he was a forward scout with 5RAR and got pinned down. They shot the pack off his back and he lost a lot of his hair.
Mr Abernethy said it was most likely the shock of being in that situation.
But he looks fit and healthy now, he said.
Mr Abernethy said he would never forget the events of that night on April 30, 1970.
In the pitch black of the night Private Reid was unable to see the extent of Private Coopers serious injuries, but his fingertip search revealed a gaping hole in Private Coopers neck and he knew that he had to elevate the wound above the heart to try and save the man.
Mr Abernethy said he expected to see carnage as he looked back from his position.
All I saw was Reid from the waist up exposed by tracer bullets, cradling Cooper in his arms like a baby and protecting him from the fire. Im the only person looking back and seeing what the enemy saw.
Private Cooper survived thanks to the actions of Private Reid.
After several formal attempts throughout the years to get Mr Reid recognised and countless reams of testimony, the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal finally made recommendation that Mr Reid receive the Medal for Gallantry for acts of gallantry in action in hazardous circumstances as the platoon medical assistant with 7 Platoon, Charlie Company, 7th Battalion during an ambush near the village of Phuoc Loi, South Vietnam on April 30, 1970.
In May Mr Reid received a letter from Veterans Affairs Minister Darren Chester confirming he would make the recommendation to the Governor-General that the medal be awarded. It is the last step in an excruciatingly long campaign and one that will culminate in the formal award in about five weeks time.
