SACRAMENTO - Assemblyman Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks) has recognized World War II Veteran Al Cooper during a Legislative Veterans' Recognition held today at the Sacramento Convention Center.

Members of the Legislature were invited to nominate a veteran from their Legislative districts to honor during this recognition luncheon, and Mr. Cooper was selected by Assemblyman Niello to represent the 5th Assembly District.

Al Cooper was an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps and was assigned to combat duty with the 15th Air Force that flew B-24 bombing missions from southern Italy to southern Germany and Poland, Northern Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Romania.

On October 1, 1944, Al and his B-24 crew were hit by enemy fire and had to parachute from their plane over southern Hungary, where they lived with guerilla armies for four months until being turned over to the Russian Army in 1945, and subsequently sent back the United States.

After returning home after the war, Al joined the California Highway Patrol as a traffic officer in 1948, serving 30 years with the CHP and retiring as the Deputy Commissioner of the CHP. Al has served as a legislative advocate in Sacramento for many years, representing the California Peace Officers and the California State Sheriff's Association and currently serves as the legislative representative for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department. Al and his wife Barbara have been married for 57 years and have two children and a grandchild.

"Like all of the veterans around the country and those being recognized here today, Al Cooper is a great American hero and I am honored to be able to recognize him for his service to our country," said Assemblyman Niello.