As a youth in rural Pembina County, North Dakota, Francis Cook was a track and field star who set records during high school that stood for many years. He enlisted in the US Navy at Minneapolis, MN on June 15, 1940. Completing basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Chicago, he reported for duty on his first ship, the aircraft carrier, USS Lexington (CV-2) on September 13, 1940 with a rating of Able Seaman (AS). By the end of December 1940 he had advanced to Seaman 2cl. He was an Aviation Radioman 3cl (ARM3c) on the aircraft carrier USS Lexington, flying in the Douglas TBD Devastator (torpedo bomber) when the aircraft carrier was sunk at the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942. Francis was among the last sailors to abandon the Lexington and recalled years later that the bitter end of the Lexington was sweetened after a ship's stores officer started handing out free ice-cream in the big 5 gallon containers. He and about a dozen other sailors chatted with the journalist, Stanley Johnston, who wrote "Queen of the Flattops", chronicling his wartime experience on the Lex, just before they dropped into the Coral Sea, to be picked up the heavy cruiser, USS Minneapolis.
Transferred to the "Lady Lex's" sister-ship, USS Saratoga (CV-3), he served on that ship through August 1943 by which time he was an Aviation Radioman 1cl (ARM1c). In September 1943, he shipped on the USS Long Island to the Naval Air Station at Alameda for further training. He served on other ships through the end of WW2, reaching the rate of Chief Aviation Radioman (ACRM). One of his duty stations was at the US Naval Academy in 1947. He was discharged from the Navy on February 3, 1948, but re-enlisted on November 4, 1949 and served on active duty until he retired on January 4, 1960. After that he and his wife, Della, settled in Miami on Key Biscayne Island where they bought a house. Francis went to work for one of the airlines. He served in the Naval Reserve until 1967, having earned 6 awards of the USN Good Conduct Medal.
Tragically and cruelly for such an athletic and active man, Francis developed Parkinson's Disease in his late 40s. He and his wife lived on Key Biscayne, until moving to Jacksonville, FL in the 1980s where they lived at 8426 San Ardo Dr, Jacksonville, FL, 32217-4417. Francis died in 1987 at the age of 64.
Transferred to the "Lady Lex's" sister-ship, USS Saratoga (CV-3), he served on that ship through August 1943 by which time he was an Aviation Radioman 1cl (ARM1c). In September 1943, he shipped on the USS Long Island to the Naval Air Station at Alameda for further training. He served on other ships through the end of WW2, reaching the rate of Chief Aviation Radioman (ACRM). One of his duty stations was at the US Naval Academy in 1947. He was discharged from the Navy on February 3, 1948, but re-enlisted on November 4, 1949 and served on active duty until he retired on January 4, 1960. After that he and his wife, Della, settled in Miami on Key Biscayne Island where they bought a house. Francis went to work for one of the airlines. He served in the Naval Reserve until 1967, having earned 6 awards of the USN Good Conduct Medal.
Tragically and cruelly for such an athletic and active man, Francis developed Parkinson's Disease in his late 40s. He and his wife lived on Key Biscayne, until moving to Jacksonville, FL in the 1980s where they lived at 8426 San Ardo Dr, Jacksonville, FL, 32217-4417. Francis died in 1987 at the age of 64.
As a youth in rural Pembina County, North Dakota, Francis Cook was a track and field star who set records during high school that stood for many years. He enlisted in the US Navy at Minneapolis, MN on June 15, 1940. Completing basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Chicago, he reported for duty on his first ship, the aircraft carrier, USS Lexington (CV-2) on September 13, 1940 with a rating of Able Seaman (AS). By the end of December 1940 he had advanced to Seaman 2cl. He was an Aviation Radioman 3cl (ARM3c) on the aircraft carrier USS Lexington, flying in the Douglas TBD Devastator (torpedo bomber) when the aircraft carrier was sunk at the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942. Francis was among the last sailors to abandon the Lexington and recalled years later that the bitter end of the Lexington was sweetened after a ship's stores officer started handing out free ice-cream in the big 5 gallon containers. He and about a dozen other sailors chatted with the journalist, Stanley Johnston, who wrote "Queen of the Flattops", chronicling his wartime experience on the Lex, just before they dropped into the Coral Sea, to be picked up the heavy cruiser, USS Minneapolis.
Transferred to the "Lady Lex's" sister-ship, USS Saratoga (CV-3), he served on that ship through August 1943 by which time he was an Aviation Radioman 1cl (ARM1c). In September 1943, he shipped on the USS Long Island to the Naval Air Station at Alameda for further training. He served on other ships through the end of WW2, reaching the rate of Chief Aviation Radioman (ACRM). One of his duty stations was at the US Naval Academy in 1947. He was discharged from the Navy on February 3, 1948, but re-enlisted on November 4, 1949 and served on active duty until he retired on January 4, 1960. After that he and his wife, Della, settled in Miami on Key Biscayne Island where they bought a house. Francis went to work for one of the airlines. He served in the Naval Reserve until 1967, having earned 6 awards of the USN Good Conduct Medal.
Tragically and cruelly for such an athletic and active man, Francis developed Parkinson's Disease in his late 40s. He and his wife lived on Key Biscayne, until moving to Jacksonville, FL in the 1980s where they lived at 8426 San Ardo Dr, Jacksonville, FL, 32217-4417. Francis died in 1987 at the age of 64.
Transferred to the "Lady Lex's" sister-ship, USS Saratoga (CV-3), he served on that ship through August 1943 by which time he was an Aviation Radioman 1cl (ARM1c). In September 1943, he shipped on the USS Long Island to the Naval Air Station at Alameda for further training. He served on other ships through the end of WW2, reaching the rate of Chief Aviation Radioman (ACRM). One of his duty stations was at the US Naval Academy in 1947. He was discharged from the Navy on February 3, 1948, but re-enlisted on November 4, 1949 and served on active duty until he retired on January 4, 1960. After that he and his wife, Della, settled in Miami on Key Biscayne Island where they bought a house. Francis went to work for one of the airlines. He served in the Naval Reserve until 1967, having earned 6 awards of the USN Good Conduct Medal.
Tragically and cruelly for such an athletic and active man, Francis developed Parkinson's Disease in his late 40s. He and his wife lived on Key Biscayne, until moving to Jacksonville, FL in the 1980s where they lived at 8426 San Ardo Dr, Jacksonville, FL, 32217-4417. Francis died in 1987 at the age of 64.
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