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Orval R. Cook

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United States Air Force general (1898–1980)

Orval R. Cook
Portrait of Cook in 1951
BornJuly 27, 1898
West Union, Indiana, US
DiedMarch 18, 1980(1980-03-18) (aged 81)
Falls Church, Virginia, US
BuriedArlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service / branchUnited States Air Force
Years of service1922–1956
Rank General
Battles / warsWorld War II
AwardsAir Force Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit

Orval Ray Cook (July 27, 1898 – March 18, 1980) was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as Deputy Commander in Chief, United States European Command (DCINCEUR) from 1954 to 1956.

Biography

At West Point in 1922

Cook was born July 27, 1898, in West Union, Indiana. He enlisted in the United States Army on October 22, 1918 before being appointed belatedly to the United States Military Academy on November 6, 1918, to fill a cadet vacancy and graduated on June 13, 1922 as a second lieutenant in the Air Service.

Entering Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas, Cook graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas in January 1924 and remained there as an instructor. That August he joined the Third Pursuit Squadron at Clark Field in the Philippines. Cook returned to Brooks Field in September 1926 as assistant engineering officer and flying instructor at the Primary Flying School, serving alongside fellow first lieutenant Claire Chennault.

Entering the Air Corps Engineering School at Wright Field, Ohio in June 1929, Cook graduated a year later and was assigned to the Aircraft Branch at Materiel Division Headquarters there as Chief, Propeller Laboratory. He became an instructor at the U.S. Military Academy in June 1934, graduated from the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama, four years later, and from the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in June 1939.

Reassigned to the Materiel Center at Wright Field, Cook served with the Engineering Section of the Production Division becoming chief of the section in April 1942. That November he was named district supervisor of the Eastern Procurement District at New York City, and the following May returned to Wright Field as chief of the Production Division.

Ordered to the Southwest Pacific in June 1945, General Cook joined the Far East Air Forces on Okinawa where he established an Air Force Depot and directed Air Force supply and maintenance activities in that area. After cessation of hostilities he was sent to Japan to establish an Air Depot and to assume command of the Seventh Air Service Area Command. Going to Manila in January 1946, he assumed command of the Far East Air Service Command (later redesignated the Pacific Air Service Command).

Assigned to the War Department General Staff, Washington, D.C., in June 1946, Cook became deputy director of the Service, Supply and Procurement Division (later redesignated the Logistics Division) where he was officially transferred from the Army to the Air Force as a major general effective September 26, 1947. Returning to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio in July 1948, he was named deputy director of Procurement and Industrial Mobilization Planning, Air Materiel Command, becoming deputy to the commanding general for operations a few weeks later, and director of procurement and industrial planning, Air Materiel Command, in September 1949.

Assigned to the Air Staff in July 1951 as Deputy Chief of Staff for Material and promoted to Lt. General. In this capacity he had responsibility for all USAF industrial planning and procurement matters. He was deeply involved in the acquisition of the B-47 and B-52

Joining the United States European Command on April 1, 1954, Cook was deputy commander in chief, with headquarters at Frankfurt, Germany, moving to Paris, France May 3, 1954.

Cook retired from the Air Force on June 1, 1956, and died on March 18, 1980, at his home in Falls Church, Virginia. His decorations included the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and World War I Victory Medal. He was rated a command pilot, combat observer, and aircraft observer.

Grave of Cook at Arlington National Cemetery

Orval Cook married Minna Edwards on September 11, 1925, in Manila, Philippines. After her death on November 5, 1988, Minna was buried beside her husband at Arlington National Cemetery. General and Mrs. Cook had three sons.

Effective dates of promotion

Source:

Insignia Rank Date
General April 1, 1954
Lieutenant general July 28, 1951
Major general March 3, 1944
Brigadier general November 8, 1943
Colonel March 1, 1942
Lieutenant colonel October 12, 1941
Major March 1, 1940
Captain August 1, 1935
First lieutenant May 14, 1927
Second lieutenant June 13, 1922


References

  1. "General Orval R. Cook (USAF)". United States Air Force. October 8, 2021. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. "Birth certificate" (PDF). Archive.org. 168.7704-133. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force Historical Research Agency. 1942. p. 1.
  3. "Honorable discharge form" (PDF). Archive.org. 168.7704-98. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force Historical Research Agency. 1918. pp. 7–8.
  4. "Personal papers of Orval R. Cook" (PDF). Archive.org. 168.7704-90. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force Historical Research Agency. 1918. pp. 18–22.
  5. Fogerty, Robert P. (1953). "Biographical Data on Air Force General Officers, 1917-1952, Volume 1 – A thru L" (PDF). Air Force Historical Research Agency. pp. 378–380. USAF historical studies: no. 91. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  6. "Special Orders No. 261" (PDF). Archive.org. 168.7704-150. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force Historical Research Agency. 1927. pp. 12–13.
  7. "Determination of Departmental Status" (PDF). Archive.org. 168.7704-133. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force Historical Research Agency. 1948. p. 10.
  8. "Citation For DSM" (PDF). Archive.org. 168.7704-133. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force Historical Research Agency. 1945. p. 46.
  9. "Personal papers of Orval R. Cook" (PDF). Archive.org. 168.7704-90. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force Historical Research Agency. 1946. p. 2.
  10. "Authority To Wear Victory Medal" (PDF). Archive.org. 168.7704-133. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force Historical Research Agency. 1944. p. 49.
  11. "Personal papers of Orval R. Cook" (PDF). Archive.org. 168.7704-90. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force Historical Research Agency. 1939–1941. pp. 3–5.
  12. "Cook, Orval R". ANC Explorer. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  13. "Biography of General Orval R. Cook". Air Force Historical Research Agency. November 30, 1955. pp. 2–3.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.

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