VIETNAM - COOK, CHARLES JR

Cook, Charles Jr

VIETNAM - COOK, CHARLES JR
COOK, CHARLES JR

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)

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 52W 004 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

BRONZE STAR MEDAL

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)