Carson park named after fallen soldier, dog

Carson park named after fallen soldier, dog
By Dan Elliott - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Oct 28, 2011 14:46:35 EDT

FILE PHOTO Army Cpl. Kory D. Wiens, 20, and his Labrador retriever partner, Cooper, were killed in July 2007 by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Muhammad Sath, Iraq.

DENVER — An Oregon soldier and his military working dog who were killed together in Iraq were honored Friday when a Colorado Army post named a dog park in their honor.

Cpl. Kory Wiens and the Labrador retriever named Cooper were killed by an improvised bomb while on patrol in 2007. Their ashes were buried together in Wiens’ hometown in Dallas, Ore.

His father, Kevin Wiens Sr., brother Kevin Jr. and sister Lindsay watched as the Cpl. Wiens and Cooper Dog Park was dedicated at Fort Carson, an infantry post just outside Colorado Springs.

Wiens had no formal tie to Fort Carson, but officials there wanted to honor his memory, a spokesman said.

Pat McAlister, Wiens’ grandmother, said the family was moved by the gesture.
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