The late George C. Cooper was a pioneer throughout his life. Among the many places where he left a significant impact was the Dayton International Airport. As an independent concessionaire, he operated stores at the airport in the late 1980s. In 1991, he partnered with The Paradies Shops and started Paradies Cooper, LLC. The company has continued to enjoy success for the past twenty years. George Cooper Enterprises, LLC is the company founded by George Cooper and continued by the Cooper family to actively engage in the business of airport concessions.
TOP ROW: John Walter Reagan, Jesse Walter Arbor, Dalton Louis Baugh, Frank Ellis Sublett
MIDDLE ROW: Graham Edward Martin, Charles Byrd Lear, Phillip George Barnes, Reginald E. Goodwin
BOTTOM ROW: James Edward Hair, Samuel Edward Barnes, George Clinton Cooper, William Sylvester White, Dennis Denmark Nelson
In January 1944, sixteen black enlisted men were summoned to Camp Robert Smalls, Great Lakes Training Station in Illinois. All had demonstrated top-notch leadership abilities as enlisted men. Seizing the moment, these young men worked as a team to complete their studies and, thereby, charted the course of equal opportunity in the Navy for all succeeding years. During their officer candidate training, they compiled a class average of 3.89, a record that has yet to be broken. Although all passed the course, in March 1944, thirteen of the group made history when they became the U.S. Navy's first African-American officers on active duty. Twelve were commissioned as ensigns; the thirteenth was made a warrant officer, and later proudly styled themselves "The Golden Thirteen." They served with distinction on board Navy ships and shore stations until the end of the war. Each surviving member can claim exceptional success in his chosen civilian profession, whether as an educator, businessman, lawyer, judge, or political leader. Their abilities, performance, courage, and tenacity made a difference and constitute worthy examples for all those who pass through the Recruit Processing Facility, named in their honor.
