World War II Honoree

Dale Cook

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Honored By

Veterans Club, Brentwood, California

Relationship

Fellow Veterans

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. MARINE CORPS MARCH 1944. AFTER INITIAL TRAINING AT CAMP PENDLETON, WAS SHIPPED TO THE PACIFIC AND ASSIGNED TO FOX COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 23RD MARINES, 4TH MARINE DIVISION ON THANKSGIVING 1944. SERVED FEBRUARY 19, 1945 TO MARCH 8, 1945. PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE FOR IWO JIMA AGAINST THE JAPANESE AS A RIFLEMAN, ULTIMATELY BECOMING A BROWNING AUTOMATIC RIFLE MAN (BAR). ON MARCH 8, 1945 HE WAS WOUNDED BY SHRAPNEL FROM A HAND GRENADE THROWN BY A JAPANESE SOLDIER WHO WAS NEAR AN ENEMY SOLDIER HE HAD JUST SHOT. HE WAS HIT IN THE SHOULDER, HAND AND LEG. AFTER THE DUST HAD CLEARED, WAS EVACUATED TO THE HOSPITAL SHIP USS BOUNTIFUL WHERE HE WAS TAKEN TO NAVY HOSPITAL 103 ON GUAM. A WEEK LATER HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FOR FURTHER HOSPITALIZATION. RETURNED TO FOX COMPANY IN APRIL 1945 WHERE HE SERVED UNTIL MID-APRIL 1946. HE WAS AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, PURPLE HEART, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH 1 STAR, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH 1 STAR AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL.