Cook (FF 1083) - Naval Cruise Book

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In Cook Wilmer Paul Cook LCDR USN 10 Oct 1932-22 Dec 1967 The USS COOK (FF-1083) is the second ship of the fleet to be named COOK and the first one to be named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Wilmer Paul Cook U.S. NAVY. Wilmer Cook, born in Anapolis, Maryland, 1 October 1932, attended high school in Anapolis, and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1956. After his commissioning he entered flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in October 1957. On two deployments to the Tonkin Gulf on the carriers CONSTELLA- TION (CV-64) and CORAL SEA (CV-43) he flew over 300 missions, risking his life countless times. Upon the loss of his Squadron Commanding Officer and Executive Officer, he took command of Attack Squadron 155 and continued to lead his men on successful strikes against North Vietnamese targets. On 22 December 1967, LCDR Cook perished when his plane was hit by enemy fire while leading an air strike on supply routes between Vinh and Ho Tinh. His values and his reasons for service, of these he said, I ' ll always go where my county sends me and will always do whatever it asks. Perhaps what I am doing may keep my two sons from going to war. He received numerous medals for heroism in the line of duty in connection with air attacks on active North Vietnamese missile sites and patrol craft. His decorations for valor include three Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Navy Com- mendation Medals, and five Air Medals for Meritorious Achievement. COOK was built by Avondale Shipyards at WESTGO, Louisiana, USA, and was launched on 23 January 1971. After commissioning on 18 December 1971, COOK embarked on a 16,000 mile shake down cruise around South America and through the Straits of Magellan to her home in the Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Cook has steamed thousands of miles in support of the security and vital intrests of the United States. Previous deployments to WESTPAC have seen COOK steaming on missions in support of aircraft carrier battle group operations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, 1987 was no exception.