Robert Kopp

KOPP, ROBERT LAVERN -- Robert Lavern Kopp was taken into the Lords care on October 22, 2006 at a local nursing home. Graveside services are scheduled at South Park Cemetery, for 11:00 AM, Thursday, October 26, 2006 with Pastor Phil Grassie of the First Christian Church conducting the service, assisted by the Roswell Veterans Honor Guard.

He was born on February 24, 1915 in Elkville, Illinois, to Phillip Henry Kopp and Lucy Almira Kopp. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Milford Kenneth Kopp.

He married Johnnie Pauline Walker on June 14, 1944 in Roswell. After 62 years, she survives him at the family home. He met Johnnie while she worked at Roswell Army Air Field, while he was there for recovery from Tuberculosis.

Survivors include his son, Phillip Kopp of Roswell, his granddaughter, Allison Kopp of Anchorage, Alaska, and grandson Colin Kopp of Kodiak, Alaska, his sister, Dorothy Burroughs of Elkville, Illinois, and numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

Robert graduated from Elkville High School and then did carpentry work for two years before joining the Army at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri near St. Louis in 1935. He served 3 years and was discharged in 1938. He rejoined the service in 1939, this time the Army Air Corps and was stationed at Hickam Field in Hawaii. He was still in Hawaii on December 7th, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attacked and America entered World War II. Six months later he volunteered for an urgent mission to take a group of B-17 bombers to Midway Island, northwest of Hawaii in June 1942. This turned out to be the deadly, famous Battle of Midway against the bulk of the Japanese fleet which was soundly defeated and was the turning point of the entire pacific theater of the war. He was awarded the Legion of Merit medal for his actions during the Battle of Midway. He narrowly escaped with his life and was sent back to Hawaii for recuperation. Later that year he was sent to the far south pacific for further action at Fiji, Canton, and the Solomon Islands. He caught tuberculosis in the south pacific and was sent back to the states in 1943 for recovery in a hospital. As it turned out, a dry climate was considered essential as part of the cure for tuberculosis, so he was stationed at Roswell Army Air Field Hospital.
PHe was transferred to Hawaii again from 1952-1954 with his wife and son. At the end of 1954 he was transferred back to the base at Roswell, now called Walker Air Force Base. He retired from the Air Force at st1:place w:st

Visitation

LaGrone Funeral Chapel
900 South Main
Roswell, NM  88203
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
9:00 am to 7:00 pm

Service

Graveside

South Park Cemetery
3101 S.E. Main
Roswell, NM  88203
Thursday, October 26, 2006
11:00 A.M.

Cemetery

South Park Cemetery
3101 S. Main
Roswell, NM  88203