Donald Cook

Donald Gilbert Cook (August 9, 1934 – December 8, 1967) was a United States Marine Corps officer and a Medal of Honor recipient.

Biography Donald Cook was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Xavier High School in New York City and St. Michael's College in Vermont.

In 1956, Cook enlisted in the Marine Corps as a private but was quickly sent for officer training at the Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1957. Three years later, Cook attended Army Language School in Monterey, California, studying Chinese and graduated near the top of his class. Cook was assigned to Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, in 1961 and was promoted to captain on March 1, 1962. He held a series of assignments in the Marine Corps and was sent to South Vietnam in late 1964, serving as an advisor to the Vietnamese Marine Division until he was wounded and captured by the Viet Cong several weeks later. Cook was held as a prisoner of war by the Viet Cong from December 31, 1964, until his death from malaria at age 33 on December 8, 1967, and was buried in the U Minh forest swamp by his fellow prisoners.

Cook's remains have never been recovered from the swamp and are now lost. An official memorial stone (cenotaph) can be found in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, Memorial Section MI Lot 110. He was posthumously promoted from captain to colonel. On February 26, 1980, Cook was officially declared dead, and the Medal of Honor was presented to his wife by the Secretary of the Navy.

Decorations

Medal of HonorPurple Heart with one gold starCombat Action RibbonNational Defense Service MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalVietnam Service MedalVietnam Campaign Medal

Medal of Honor citation Statue of Col. Cook on the campus of St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont

Citation for award of Medal of Honor:

Legacy The United States Navy is named in his honor.

Cook Hall at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Presidio of Monterey, in Monterey, California, is named after Cook, who graduated from the school's Chinese Mandarin course in May 1961. Cook Hall was dedicated in late 2014 and is the largest and most modern academic building of the DLIFLC campus.

Cook is honored with a 'Freedom Tree' on the Vermont State House lawn.

Colonel Donald G. Cook Chapter 5 Disabled American Veterans (DAV) of Burlington, Vermont is named in his honor. Col. Donald G. Cook Chapter 5 DAV assists veterans in obtaining compensation for their service-connected disabilities, raises funds to support the DAV travel service for disabled veterans to the White River Junction, Vermont Veterans Hospital, and generally serves the needs of disabled Veterans in Burlington and the surrounding areas.

Saint Michael's College bestows the Colonel Donald G. Cook '56 Award to alumni for unselfish service to others. It is the College's most prestigious alumni award.

The Colonel Donald G. Cook award is presented to a United States Marine Corps active duty (officer or enlisted) or Government Civilian intelligence professional to recognize professional excellence and exceptional dedication to duty in Marine Corps Intelligence. Annually presented, the award is sponsored by the National Military Intelligence Association (NMIA).