Suggested edit: The carrier Wasp's epic service is Lieutenant Cook's story! Lieutenant Cook was assigned as part of the ship's company aboard aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7) at her commissioning. Wherever she went so did Lieutenant Cook. During World War II, Wasp participated in combat in the Atlantic and Pacific. Lieutenant Cook was killed in action when Wasp was sunk in the South Pacific. A single spread of six torpedoes, fired from Japanese submarine I-19, sank Wasp and a destroyer USS O'Brian (DD-415), and severely damaged a battleship USS North Carolina (BB-55) forcing her to Pearl Harbor for repairs, possibly the most damaging torpedo salvos in history.
William Raymond Cook was born on March 7, 1916 in Wisconsin to George Edwin and Grace Elsie (Laird) Cook. The family moved to Eagle Lake, Texas and he graduated from Eagle Lake High School in 1933. He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy by Congressman Joseph J. Mansfield of Texas. On June 8, 1934, he entered the United States Naval Academy as a Midshipman and promptly nicknamed Cookie. He was an active member of the Masqueraders and Movie Gang. Midshipman Cook graduated 273 of 438 Midshipmen from the Naval Academy on June 2, 1938.
Lieutenant Cooke was reported missing on September 15, 1942 and declared dead on September 16, 1943.
Lieutenant Cook's personal decorations includes: Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and Navy Expeditionary Medal, American Defense Service Medal ("Atlantic" device and "Fleet" clasp), European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (1 stars), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2 stars) and World War II Victory Medal.
Lieutenant Cook is remembered in Memorial Hall at the United States Naval Academy where his name is engraved under the "DONT GIVE UP THE SHIP" flag honor those alumni killed in action. (The display at the United States Naval Academy has incorrect spelling of this hero's name. The error has been reported.)
Lieutenant Cook is memorialized with a marker in the Eagle Lake Masonic cemetery in Eagle Lake, Texas only a short distance from Congressman Mansfield's grave.
Lieutenant Cook is memorialized at Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location.
Contributor: ET (47514618) • [email protected]
William Raymond Cook was born on March 7, 1916 in Wisconsin to George Edwin and Grace Elsie (Laird) Cook. The family moved to Eagle Lake, Texas and he graduated from Eagle Lake High School in 1933. He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy by Congressman Joseph J. Mansfield of Texas. On June 8, 1934, he entered the United States Naval Academy as a Midshipman and promptly nicknamed Cookie. He was an active member of the Masqueraders and Movie Gang. Midshipman Cook graduated 273 of 438 Midshipmen from the Naval Academy on June 2, 1938.
Lieutenant Cooke was reported missing on September 15, 1942 and declared dead on September 16, 1943.
Lieutenant Cook's personal decorations includes: Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and Navy Expeditionary Medal, American Defense Service Medal ("Atlantic" device and "Fleet" clasp), European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (1 stars), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2 stars) and World War II Victory Medal.
Lieutenant Cook is remembered in Memorial Hall at the United States Naval Academy where his name is engraved under the "DONT GIVE UP THE SHIP" flag honor those alumni killed in action. (The display at the United States Naval Academy has incorrect spelling of this hero's name. The error has been reported.)
Lieutenant Cook is memorialized with a marker in the Eagle Lake Masonic cemetery in Eagle Lake, Texas only a short distance from Congressman Mansfield's grave.
Lieutenant Cook is memorialized at Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location.
Contributor: ET (47514618) • [email protected]
Suggested edit: The carrier Wasp's epic service is Lieutenant Cook's story! Lieutenant Cook was assigned as part of the ship's company aboard aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7) at her commissioning. Wherever she went so did Lieutenant Cook. During World War II, Wasp participated in combat in the Atlantic and Pacific. Lieutenant Cook was killed in action when Wasp was sunk in the South Pacific. A single spread of six torpedoes, fired from Japanese submarine I-19, sank Wasp and a destroyer USS O'Brian (DD-415), and severely damaged a battleship USS North Carolina (BB-55) forcing her to Pearl Harbor for repairs, possibly the most damaging torpedo salvos in history.
William Raymond Cook was born on March 7, 1916 in Wisconsin to George Edwin and Grace Elsie (Laird) Cook. The family moved to Eagle Lake, Texas and he graduated from Eagle Lake High School in 1933. He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy by Congressman Joseph J. Mansfield of Texas. On June 8, 1934, he entered the United States Naval Academy as a Midshipman and promptly nicknamed Cookie. He was an active member of the Masqueraders and Movie Gang. Midshipman Cook graduated 273 of 438 Midshipmen from the Naval Academy on June 2, 1938.
Lieutenant Cooke was reported missing on September 15, 1942 and declared dead on September 16, 1943.
Lieutenant Cook's personal decorations includes: Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and Navy Expeditionary Medal, American Defense Service Medal ("Atlantic" device and "Fleet" clasp), European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (1 stars), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2 stars) and World War II Victory Medal.
Lieutenant Cook is remembered in Memorial Hall at the United States Naval Academy where his name is engraved under the "DONT GIVE UP THE SHIP" flag honor those alumni killed in action. (The display at the United States Naval Academy has incorrect spelling of this hero's name. The error has been reported.)
Lieutenant Cook is memorialized with a marker in the Eagle Lake Masonic cemetery in Eagle Lake, Texas only a short distance from Congressman Mansfield's grave.
Lieutenant Cook is memorialized at Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location.
Contributor: ET (47514618) • [email protected]
William Raymond Cook was born on March 7, 1916 in Wisconsin to George Edwin and Grace Elsie (Laird) Cook. The family moved to Eagle Lake, Texas and he graduated from Eagle Lake High School in 1933. He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy by Congressman Joseph J. Mansfield of Texas. On June 8, 1934, he entered the United States Naval Academy as a Midshipman and promptly nicknamed Cookie. He was an active member of the Masqueraders and Movie Gang. Midshipman Cook graduated 273 of 438 Midshipmen from the Naval Academy on June 2, 1938.
Lieutenant Cooke was reported missing on September 15, 1942 and declared dead on September 16, 1943.
Lieutenant Cook's personal decorations includes: Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and Navy Expeditionary Medal, American Defense Service Medal ("Atlantic" device and "Fleet" clasp), European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (1 stars), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2 stars) and World War II Victory Medal.
Lieutenant Cook is remembered in Memorial Hall at the United States Naval Academy where his name is engraved under the "DONT GIVE UP THE SHIP" flag honor those alumni killed in action. (The display at the United States Naval Academy has incorrect spelling of this hero's name. The error has been reported.)
Lieutenant Cook is memorialized with a marker in the Eagle Lake Masonic cemetery in Eagle Lake, Texas only a short distance from Congressman Mansfield's grave.
Lieutenant Cook is memorialized at Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location.
Contributor: ET (47514618) • [email protected]
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USS Wasp
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