Tan Son Nhut

377th SPS

PURPLE HEART
6 April 1966
A2C Roy H. Cook, Jr.
http://www.vspa.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Don Weiland
To: Don Poss
Subject: INCOMING

MERRY CHRISTMAS DON I am writing in response to a letter and picture sent by Bill Price MSgt, 377th APSq 1965/1966 regarding his blurp on an INCOMING! message and info regarding PARADE REST. I would like to answer his question to the fact that the airman wounded was A2C Roy H. Cook 14809798. He enlisted in Jackson, MS on May 28, 1963. I for one volunteered on the Dry Dock assignment in Bien Hoa and Roy was one of my best friends, we were very good M-60 gunners, along with the other 12 (dirty dozen). I transferred off the Dry Dock assignment three weeks before my tour was up and pulled the flight line duty at Tan Son Nhut to save my ass! before flying home. I also visited with Roy while he was recuperating. I have found several of the guys but Roy seems to have slipped pass my computer searches along with a couple of others. Could you somehow get this info to Bill Price as my computer couldn't or wouldn't get onto his page?

Thanks Don Weiland A2C

Don Weiland: Thank you for filling in the blanks. I know that William Price will be pleased. I am forwarding this to William Price and Don Graham (VSPA Historian/Researcher). Don Graham will hopefully be able to confirm Roy Cook's purple heart and anyother award he may have earned. I will add your remarks to William's story.

Don Graham: Please advise when you have information concerning Roy Cook's awards, and the appropriate VSPA pages to note them on.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Don Poss

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Price wwprice [mailto: wwprice@planters.net]
To: th68@att.net; Kenneth Record; Don Poss
Cc: Don & Ruth Weiland
Subject: Re: INCOMING

A2C Roy Cook was assigned to the 377th APSq, TSN, and the escort group was called 'Dry Dock". I have a picture of the award from Base Photo, if I can find it. bp

----- Original Message -----
From: Don Graham <th68@att.net
To: "Kenneth Record" <kenrec@sisna.com; "Don Poss" <DonPoss-LM37@vspa.com
Cc: "Don Weiland" <donruth@whidbey.com; "Price William W" <wwprice@planters.net
Subject: Re: INCOMING

Don: I checked what I had on Bien Hoa, including Col. Kent Miller's supplement, but had nothing on Roy. Tried looking him up in a couple of search engines and couldn't locate him. I'm going to pass this to Ken Record and hope he can get something from the military records.

Ken: Hope all is well at your end. Please read the following emails and see if you can find anything out. It may help that we have Roy's AFSN.

Thanks and everyone have a great weekend,

Don Graham

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Record [mailto: kenrec@sisna.com]
To: Don Poss
Subject: RE Roy Cook

Gentlemen: I have checked the official casualty reports for 1965 and 1966 and I do not find a Roy Cook listed anywhere. Am I looking in the right place? Please give me more specifics so I can check other records. More exact dates would help since most of my records are chronological.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Yours in Service

Ken Record

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Record [mailto: kenrec@sisna.com]
To: Don Poss; donruth@whidbey.com; th68@att.net
Subject: Roy H Cook has been located!!!!!

Please note the following entry in the AF Hostile Casualty Records:

 

VIETNAM (A2b) : On 6 April 1966, A2C Roy H. Cook, Jr., AF14809798, was injured (not seriously) while riding as a passenger in the lead vehicle of a Air Police escort unit when a claymore mine, set by unfriendly forces, exploded near them.

This is the entire entry. You should be able to get official confirmation of this information from the casualty office at Randolph AFB so Roy can get what benefits he can. If he never received his purple heart he should apply for it and get it added to his records. This will help with his VA claim.

Anything else I can do let me know

Yours in Service

Ken Record

----Original Message-----
From: Don Graham th68@att.net [mailto: th68@att.net]
To: wwprice
Cc: Kenneth Record; Don Poss; Don Weiland
Subject: A2C Cook

Hi Everyone: Just wanted to give you an update on A2C Cook's Purple Heart. I heard back from Randolph AFB and they informed me I had to write to the AF Reference Branch in St Louis. That letter went out today. Hopefully it won't take too long. Please contact me with any questions.

Thank you,

Don Graham

----- Original Message -----
From: wwprice
Subject: A2C Cook, 377th AP Sq, TSN, Cir. Apr/May 1966-Purple Heart

Kailey & All,
Some months back, there were alot of emails regarding the PH of A2C Cook. He had been assigned to escort convoy section and had been wounded when a grenade was thrown at his jeep during an escort from Nha Bay to Bien Hoa. I told several former 377th folks and maybe you that I had an official USAF photo of the presentation. It was held on the flightline and most of the squadron fell out. I took the photos of the mass formation. Well, I was going thru my well organized desk and found the darn thing. Our old CSP, COL Roger G. Benton, is standing tall with the Base Commander on the bull horn, next to Cook and RVN VNAF fellow. The BC is the one that is over weight, well cared for and without a tan.

I'd like to send a copy of the photo to A2C Cook, so if you can remember anyone who might have mentioned it, I'd appreciate it.
Hope all has been well with you all.
Bill Price