Date: October 29, 2009
Contact: Kathleen Morrissey, Coordinator
Theatre and Events
University/Community Programs Department
417-255-7966

    WEST PLAINS, Mo. – U.S. Army Maj. (Ret.) Stan Coss of West Plains will be the guest speaker at Missouri State University-West Plains’ annual “Salute to Veterans” program at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at the West Plains Civic Center theater.
    “The Veterans Day celebration is a free program that has been very important to Missouri State University-West Plains since the University/Community Programs (U/CP) department was first formed,” said Kathleen Morrissey, coordinator of U/CP’s Theatre and Events programming and organizer of the celebration.  “This year, we are honored to have Maj. Stan Coss, a distinguished Vietnam War veteran, give our keynote address honoring our area veterans.”
    A graduate of Sarasota High School in Sarasota, Fla., Coss joined the Army as a private in 1957 and completed basic and advanced infantry training at Fort Jackson, S.C.  He then completed training with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.,  and served in the 2nd Airborne Battle Group, 501st Parachute Infantry for the remainder of his three-year enlistment.  He was honorably discharged as a Specialist Five (E5) and was awarded the Expert Infantryman’s Badge (EIB) and Senior Parachutist Wings.
    After a two-year break in service from the Army, during which Coss served as a sergeant in the 20th Special Forces Group, Army National Guard, he re-enlisted and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry as a Private First Class (PFC).  He applied for the U.S. Army Aviation School and became a helicopter pilot in 1964.  After completion of the Warrant Officer Indoctrination Course at Fort Wolters, Texas, as an honors graduate, Coss’ class transferred to Fort Rucker, Ala., to complete training and be commissioned as Warrant Officer Aviators in April 1965.
    Coss was initially assigned to the 38th Artillery Brigade, Air Defense, in South Korea after flight school, but he was then reassigned to a unit going to the Republic of Vietnam, then a little-known country in southeast Asia.  He and his company arrived in Vietnam in September 1965 and were assigned
to the 1st Infantry Division.  Coss served the remainder of this tour as pilot-in-command of a UH-1B “gunship,” the precursor to the Cobra Attack Helicopter.  Coss was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism during the 1st Infantry’s assault on the Iron Triangle, a Viet Cong stronghold where no American forces had yet fought.  He also was awarded the Air Medal with “V” device for valor during other operations.
    Fort Rucker began training many more helicopter pilots for this country’s only “helicopter war,” to date, so Coss returned to Fort Rucker to become an instructor pilot in the Department of Tactics.  During his nearly three years as an instructor, he applied for and received a direct commission as a 1st Lieutenant, Infantry, and was later reassigned to the 336th Assault Helicopter Company in the Delta of Vietnam.  During this tour, Coss became the company operations officer and Air Mission Commander, leading his and other companies in helicopter assault operations throughout the Delta.  Coss received two more awards during this period – the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism, and two awards of the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.  For another act of valor, Coss was awarded the Soldier’s Medal for helping save the lives of 11 soldiers whose helicopter crashed and burned on his assigned airfield.  Coss also led his company on the Cambodian Invasion in May 1970.
    Other awards he received during his military service include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 11 Air Medals, Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Citation, and Senior Aviator’s Badge.  Coss retired from the Army in July 1980.
    Coss graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Science in May 1974 through the Army Degree Completion (Bootstrap) Program.  He received a Master’s of Aeronautical Science degree from Embry-Riddle’s Fort Rucker branch in 1980.
    Coss recently retired from Air Evac EMS, Inc., in West Plains after 11 years in that organization and an 18-year second career in helicopter EMS operations.  Coss served Air Evac in a number of capacities, including company vice president, director of operations, director of aviation, regional director of base operations, chief pilot, and base manager/lead pilot.  He now resides in West Plains, where he continues to chair the Air Evac Historical Committee and serves in various capacities as a layman in the First United Methodist Church.
    The “Salute to Veterans” also will include musical entertainment from the West Plains Community Band under the direction of Rocky Long.  The band is composed of 35 musicians from the region who specialize in concert band music.  The concert will feature a selection of music that encompasses the values of freedom and service, including marches, ballads and a narrative piece called “Duty, Honor and Country” featuring narrator Randy Story.
    Following the celebration, a reception of cookies and punch sponsored by the auxiliaries of area veterans groups will be served.  For more information about the Veterans Day celebration, contact the U/CP office at 417-255-7966.