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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.
Description As 1951 drew to a close, a lull had settled over the battlefield. Fighting tapered off to a routine of patrol clashes, raids, and bitter small-unit struggles for key outpost positions. The lull resulted from Ridgway's decision to halt offensive operations in Korea, because the cost of major assaults on the enemy's defenses would be more than the results could justify. Furthermore, the possibility of an armistice agreement emerging from the recently reopened talks ruled out the mounting of any large-scale offensive by either side. On 21 November Ridgway ordered the Eighth Army to cease offensive operations and begin an active defense of its front. Attacks were limited to those necessary to strengthen the main line of resistance and to establish an adequate outpost line.
In the third week of December the U.S. 45th Division, the first National Guard division to fight in Korea, replaced the 1st Cavalry Division in the I Corps sector north of Seoul. The 1st Cavalry Division returned to Japan.
In the air, U.N. bombers and fighter-bombers continued the interdiction campaign (Operation STRANGLE, which the Far East Air Forces had begun on 15 August 1951) against railroad tracks, bridges, and highway traffic. At sea, naval units of nine nations tightened their blockade around the coastline of North Korea. Carrier-based planes blasted railroads, bridges, and boxcars, and destroyers bombarded enemy gun emplacements and supply depots. On the ground, the 155-mile front remained generally quiet in the opening days of 1952. Later in January the Eighth Army opened a month-long artillery-air campaign against enemy positions, which forced the enemy to dig in deeply. During March and April Van Fleet shifted his units along the front to give the ROK Army a greater share in defending the battle line and to concentrate American fire power in the vulnerable western sector.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
November / 1951
To Month/Year
April / 1952
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories The outbreak of the Korean War in late June 1950 called Bon Homme Richard back to active duty. She recommissioned in January 1951 and deployed to the Western Pacific that May, launching her planes against enemy targets in Korea until the deployment ended late in the year.
