My name is Carlton Cooper, also known as Capt. ”C”.  A name given to me by sailors who I raced with and against for over 15 years, because I was a very competent and competitive skipper of my own sailboat.  Sailing is man against the wind elements to get from one point to another in the least amount of time and distance.

I am a native of California were I was born in Berkeley and moved to Los Angeles as a very small child where I completed my formal education from elementary to high school.  After graduation from high school I enlisted in the military where I served in the Army Engineer Corp. for 3 years with a 1-year tour in Viet Nam.  After receiving an Honorable discharged from the military, I returned back to Los Angeles area where I then attended California State University, Northridge and completed a course of study in Environmental Biology.

As luck would have it, my career endeavors led me to the San Francisco Bay Area, which I was very fortunate to be able to enjoy the two things I liked most in life.  As a young man I developed the love for the ocean and riding motorized bicycles.  Sailing and motorcycles both allowed me to feel the wind and sun upon my face.  I can remember long before I had a driver’s license I was putting lawnmower motors on bicycles, used my sister’s scooter, shared ownership of an old Harley while I was in high school, rode a Triumph motorcycle for transportation while stationed at Fort Ord in Monterey and owned a 1200 Yamaha for a period of time while I lived in Oakland.

After moving to Sacramento in 2002, I missed the opportunity of motorcycle riding in the warm summer nights here in the valley.  Then after purchasing a Harley Street Glide, I was fortunate to bump into the BSMC at a Juneteeth festival.  I was impressed with the commitment they expressed about the Buffalo Soldiers military heritage and to the local community at large.

I am honored to represent the Buffalo Soldiers history and being a member of the BSMC Sacramento chapter.  I hope to become an asset by seeing that the great heritage and pride of the Buffalo Soldiers lives on forever for their major contributions in the development of the Western frontier, as we know it today.

Capt. “C”