World War II Honoree

Arnold Jerome Cook

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Laona, Wisconsin

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Relationship

Friend

Rank: Motor Machinist’s Mate Second Class. He enlisted into the United States Navy April 9, 1942, at Chicago, Illinois with Basic Military Training at the U.S. Naval Training Station Great Lakes, Illinois. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp and with additional training; he was transferred to the USS Herring Submarine (SS-233) for duty. The USS Herring with her Shipmate’s were assigned duty with the Submarine Forces and located in the Pacific Theater of Operations. May 16, 1944, the USS Herring departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on her Eighth War Patrol, topping off with fuel and other provisions at the United States Naval Air Station, Midway Island. The USS Herring set sail to the Kurile Islands and located in the Western Pacific Theater of Operations. June 1, 1944, the Ship’s Captain dropped anchor, off the coastal shores of Matua Island. Imperial Japanese coastal shore Artillery Battery’s Shelling scored two hits on the Sub’s Conning Tower, and she went down into the deep waters. He was reported “Missing-in-Action” or Buried at Sea along with his gallant crew members, gone without a trace and will “Remain on Eternal Patrol”. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Honolulu Memorial location: Honolulu, Hawaii. In his Memory, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Laona Cemetery, and located in Laona, Wisconsin. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal.