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Gen Orval Ray Cook

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Gen Orval Ray Cook

Birth
West Union, Parke County, Indiana, USA
Death
18 Mar 1980 (aged 81)
Falls Church, Falls Church City, Virginia, USA
Burial
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA GPS-Latitude: 38.8722, Longitude: 77.0737
Plot
Section 11 Lot 586-2
Memorial ID
View Source
US Air Force General. He served as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the US European Command, headquartered at Paris, France, from May 1954 until June 1956. After completing high school, he received an appointment to the US Military Academy at West Point, New York in November 1918 and graduated in June 1922 with a commission as a second lieutenant of the Air Service. In 1923 he entering Primary Flying School at Brooks Field (now Brooks City-Base), Texas, and graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field (now part of Joint Base San Antonio), Texas in January 1924, and remained there as an instructor. In August of that year, he was assigned to the 3rd Pursuit Squadron at Clark Field, Philippine Islands, and returned two years later to Brooks Field as assistant engineering officer and flying instructor at the Primary Flying School, where he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. In June 1929 he entered the Air Corps Engineering School at Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson Air Force Base), Ohio, graduated the following year and was assigned to the Aircraft Branch at Materiel Division Headquarters there. In June 1934 he became an instructor at the US Military Academy and promoted to the rank of captain in August 1935. He attended the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field (now Maxwell Air Force Base), Alabama, graduating in 1938. He then entered the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, graduating in June 1939. He was reassigned to the Materiel Center at Wright Field where he was promoted temporarily to the rank of major in October 1940 and to lieutenant colonel in October 1941, serving with the Engineering Section of the Production Division becoming chief of the section in April 1942 just after being temporarily promoted to the rank of colonel. The following November, he was named district supervisor of the Eastern Procurement District at New York City, New York and the following May he returned to Wright Field as chief of the Production Division. While serving in that position, he was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general. In June 1945 he was permanently promoted to lieutenant colonel and assigned to the Southwest Pacific Theater, where he joined the Far East Air Forces on Okinawa and established an Air Force Depot and directed Air Force supply and maintenance activities in that area. After the Japanese surrender in August 1945, he was sent to Japan to establish an Air Depot and to assume command of the Seventh Air Service Area Command. In January 1946, he assumed command of the Far East Air Service Command in Manila, Philippines (later redesignated the Pacific Air Service Command). In June 1946 he returned to the US and was assigned to the War Department General Staff, Washington, DC, as the deputy director of the Service, Supply and Procurement Division (later redesignated the Logistics Division), and temporarily promoted to the rank of major general. In June 1948 he returned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and became the deputy director of Procurement and Industrial Mobilization Planning, Air Materiel Command (now Air Force Materiel Command), becoming deputy to the commanding general for operations a few weeks later, and director of procurement and industrial planning, Air Materiel Command, in September 1949. During this time, he was permanently promoted to the rank of brigadier general (February 1948). In July 1951 he was assigned to Headquarters US Air Force, Washington DC as Deputy Chief of Staff for Material and promoted to lieutenant general. In this capacity he had responsibility for all US Air Force industrial planning and procurement matters and was deeply involved in the acquisition of the B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress bomber aircraft for the US Air Force fleet. In April 1954 he was assigned to the US European Command and promoted to the rank of general, serving in that position until he retired on June 1, 1956 with 34 years of continuous active military service in the US Army Air Corps and the US Air Force. His military decorations and awards include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster and the Legion of Merit. He was a rated command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer. He died at the age of 81.
US Air Force General. He served as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the US European Command, headquartered at Paris, France, from May 1954 until June 1956. After completing high school, he received an appointment to the US Military Academy at West Point, New York in November 1918 and graduated in June 1922 with a commission as a second lieutenant of the Air Service. In 1923 he entering Primary Flying School at Brooks Field (now Brooks City-Base), Texas, and graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field (now part of Joint Base San Antonio), Texas in January 1924, and remained there as an instructor. In August of that year, he was assigned to the 3rd Pursuit Squadron at Clark Field, Philippine Islands, and returned two years later to Brooks Field as assistant engineering officer and flying instructor at the Primary Flying School, where he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. In June 1929 he entered the Air Corps Engineering School at Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson Air Force Base), Ohio, graduated the following year and was assigned to the Aircraft Branch at Materiel Division Headquarters there. In June 1934 he became an instructor at the US Military Academy and promoted to the rank of captain in August 1935. He attended the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field (now Maxwell Air Force Base), Alabama, graduating in 1938. He then entered the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, graduating in June 1939. He was reassigned to the Materiel Center at Wright Field where he was promoted temporarily to the rank of major in October 1940 and to lieutenant colonel in October 1941, serving with the Engineering Section of the Production Division becoming chief of the section in April 1942 just after being temporarily promoted to the rank of colonel. The following November, he was named district supervisor of the Eastern Procurement District at New York City, New York and the following May he returned to Wright Field as chief of the Production Division. While serving in that position, he was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general. In June 1945 he was permanently promoted to lieutenant colonel and assigned to the Southwest Pacific Theater, where he joined the Far East Air Forces on Okinawa and established an Air Force Depot and directed Air Force supply and maintenance activities in that area. After the Japanese surrender in August 1945, he was sent to Japan to establish an Air Depot and to assume command of the Seventh Air Service Area Command. In January 1946, he assumed command of the Far East Air Service Command in Manila, Philippines (later redesignated the Pacific Air Service Command). In June 1946 he returned to the US and was assigned to the War Department General Staff, Washington, DC, as the deputy director of the Service, Supply and Procurement Division (later redesignated the Logistics Division), and temporarily promoted to the rank of major general. In June 1948 he returned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and became the deputy director of Procurement and Industrial Mobilization Planning, Air Materiel Command (now Air Force Materiel Command), becoming deputy to the commanding general for operations a few weeks later, and director of procurement and industrial planning, Air Materiel Command, in September 1949. During this time, he was permanently promoted to the rank of brigadier general (February 1948). In July 1951 he was assigned to Headquarters US Air Force, Washington DC as Deputy Chief of Staff for Material and promoted to lieutenant general. In this capacity he had responsibility for all US Air Force industrial planning and procurement matters and was deeply involved in the acquisition of the B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress bomber aircraft for the US Air Force fleet. In April 1954 he was assigned to the US European Command and promoted to the rank of general, serving in that position until he retired on June 1, 1956 with 34 years of continuous active military service in the US Army Air Corps and the US Air Force. His military decorations and awards include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster and the Legion of Merit. He was a rated command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer. He died at the age of 81.

Bio by: William Bjornstad



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