Rank: Private First Class
Unit: C Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 15-Jan-1943
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 8-Apr-1968
Incident date: 9-Jul-1968
Date of casualty: 9-Jul-1968
Age at death: 25
Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Charles Cook Jr died from a wound received while driver of military vehicle on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight.
Two Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC Hugo Carlos Castaneda
PFC Charles Cook Jr
Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California, USA
View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)
BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS CHARLES COOK JR
9 JULY 1968
C TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Private First Class Cook distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 9 July 1968 while serving as a machine gunner on an armored cavalry assault vehicle assigned to Troop C, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Troop C was conducting a reconnaissance in force mission through rice paddies when an enemy company, concealed in a tree line suddenly engaged them with small arms, automatic weapons and antitank rocket fire. Private Cook’s vehicle received a direct hit from an enemy rocket, seriously wounding the driver and the other machine gunner. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Private Cook positioned himself to provide covering fire in order that others might evacuate the wounded crewman. Placing himself in a completely exposed position, he provided the covering fire until the evacuation team had nearly completed its mission when he was struck by small arms fire and mortally wounded. Private First Class Cook’s unwavering devotion to duty and sincere concern for his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflected great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 1307 (1 October 1968)