World War II Honoree

Ralph V. Cook

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Lahoma, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE AND APPLIED FOR PILOT TRAINING. EARNED HIS GOLD NAVAL AVIATOR WINGS IN 1943, AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION AT CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS. ALSO STATIONED AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA IN THE AMERICAN THEATER. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER AS A B-24 PB4Y-1 PILOT, INCLUDING WITH THE VB-108 BOMBER SQUADRON IN THE GILBERT ISLANDS, IN THE WEST CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN AREA, AND IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS, IN THE NORTH WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN AREA. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS NICKNAMED 'HELL'S BELLE.' AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN COMBAT, AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.