Staff Sergeant Wesley Arthur Cope, Jr.

Wesley Arthur Cope, Jr.

Staff Sergeant Wesley Cope was killed when the military police staff car crashed near the intersection of Williams Road and East Alisal Street, outside Salinas Army Air Base near Salinas, California.

He was riding in the vehicle with five other military policemen responding to an emergency call when the driver became blinded by the lights of an approaching vehicle and lost control of the car, crashing into a vacant lot and overturning. All of the injured were taken to Fort Ord Base Hospital, where they were all treated.

Staff Sergeant Cope suffered a broken neck from the accident and succumbed to his injuries the next day. He was buried at Memorial park Cemetary in St. Louis.

Staff Sergeant Cope was a United States World War II veteran who had served with the United States Army Air Force Military Police for almost five years and was stationed at the Salinas Army Air Base. He was survived by his parents.