World War II Honoree

William Thomas Cook

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Washington, District Of Columbia

Honored By

Timothy A. J. McGreer

Relationship

Son-in-law

ENTERED INTO THE U.S. ARMY. ASSIGNED AS AN ANTI-ARTILLERY SPOTTER WHOSE MISSION IT WAS TO IDENTITY, LOCATE, AND THEN SEND INFORMATION TO U.S. ARMY ARTILLERY FORCES TO TARGET AND DESTROY ENEMY ARTILLERY POSITIONS. DEPLOYED TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER. PARTICIPATED IN THE D-DAY INVASION AND THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE COULD TELL THE TYPE OF GERMAN ARTILLERY THAT WAS SHOOTING BECAUSE AS THE SHELL PASSED BY IT GAVE A DISTINCTIVE SOUND. WITH THIS INFORMATION AND THE EQUIPMENT THAT HE OPERATED, HE WOULD LOCATE THE POSITION OF THE GERMAN ARTILLERY UNIT, AND THEN PASS ON INFORMATION USED TO TARGET THAT SITE. SEPARATED FROM THE ARMY UPON HIS RETURN TO THE U.S., AND COMPLETED A 30-YEAR PLUS CAREER AS AN FBI AGENT.