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Casualty Info
Home Town Bagley, WI
Last Address with VA-923 deployed in the Pacific aboard USS Bon Homme Richard.
Lt Cook's remains are actually lost in North Korea.
Casualty Date Jul 18, 1951
Cause MIA-Finding of Death
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Korea, North
Conflict Korean War
Location of Interment Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial - Honolulu, Hawaii
Wall/Plot Coordinates CENOTAPH
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Lieutenant Cook was the pilot of an AD-3 Skyraider dive bomber with Attack Squadron 923 aboard the aircraft carrier USS BON HOMME RICHARD (CV-31). On July 18, 1951, after attacking a bridge target in North Korea, he failed to meet at the rendezvous point with the rest of the flight. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on May 19, 1954.
Comments/Citation:
Name of Award
Navy Cross
Year Awarded
1944
Details behind Award: Awarded for actions during WWII
CITATION: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade [then Ensign] Orville Melvin Cook (NSN: 0-301489), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber in Bombing Squadron SIXTEEN (VB-16), attached to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-16), in action against enemy Japanese forces in the First Battle of the Philippine Sea on 20 June 1944. Participating in a long-range attack on major units of the Japanese Fleet, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Cook skillfully maneuvered his plane to evade determined fighter opposition and intense enemy anti-aircraft fire in the ensuing action and assisted essentially in the sinking of a large enemy aircraft carrier, in the probable sinking of another large carrier and in shooting down two enemy fighter planes. Upon fulfillment of the critical mission, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Cook succeeded in completing the long return flight to base and in effecting a safe night landing aboard the LEXINGTON. His cool courage, skilled airmanship and devotion to duty throughout this decisive action reflect the highest credit upon Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Cook, and the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: July 8, 1944 Service: Navy Rank: Lieutenant Junior Grade Squadron: Bombing Squadron 16 (VB-16) Ship: U.S.S. Oriskany (CVA-34)
Details behind Award: Awarded for actions during WWII
CITATION: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Orville Melvin Cook (NSN: 0-301489), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber of Bombing Squadron SIXTEEN (VB-16), attached to the U.S.S. RANDOLPH (CV-15), in action against major units of the Japanese Fleet in the Tokyo Bay Area, Japan, on 18 July 1945. Participating in a dive-bombing attack against an enemy battleship at the Yokosuka Naval Base, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, cook skillfully pressed home his attack in the face of intense hostile anti-aircraft fire and scored a direct hit on the target. By his aggressive airmanship and courage under fire, he contributed materially to the infliction of severe damage on the warship and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Randolph was one of the "long-hull"Essex-class ships. She was laid down on 10 May 1943, at Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia. She was launched on 28 June 1944, sponsored by Rose Gillette (wife of Guy M. Gillette, a US Senator from Iowa). Randolph commissioned on 9 October 1944, CaptainFelix Locke Baker, USN in command.In July 1961, Randolph sailed for operations in the Caribbean and served as the recovery ship after splashdown for astronaut Virgil Grissom on America's second manned space flight, a suborbital shot. In February 1962, Randolph was the primary recovery ship for astronaut John Glenn on his flight, the first American orbital voyage in space. After his historic three-orbit flight, he landed safely near Noa from which he was transferred, byhelicopter, to Randolph.
Randolph