- USS Cook (APD-130)
USS "Cook" (APD-130) was a "Crosley"-class
fast transport of theUnited States Navy , named after two brothers:Second Lieutenant Andrew F. Cook, Jr. (1920–1942) andSergeant Dallas H. Cook (1921–1942). Both served in the Marine Corps, and both were awarded theNavy Cross , posthumously."Cook" was laid down at the
Defoe Shipbuilding Company inBay City, Michigan on7 May 1944 and partially completed as a "Rudderow"-classdestroyer escort with the hull number DE-714. A month before launching, on17 July 1944, it was decided that "Cook" would be completed as a high-speed transport, with the designation APD-130. She was launched on26 August 1944 , sponsored by Mrs. A. F. Cook, mother of Second Lieutenant Cook and Sergeant Cook. She was commissioned on25 April 1945 , at theTodd-Johnson Dry Dock Company inNew Orleans, Louisiana , withLieutenant Commander D. N. Hamilton, USNR, in command"Cook" sailed from Norfolk,
Virginia , on19 June 1945 for San Diego, arriving there on2 July for training. On20 September , she arrived atTokyo carrying men ofunderwater demolition team s. After transporting troops toOkinawa , "Cook" reconnoitered Hakodate before its occupation. She sailed home fromYokohama by way ofGuam ,Eniwetok , andPearl Harbor , to San Diego, arriving there in13 November . After repairs, she spent the month of January transporting troops along the west coast. "Cook" was placed out of commission in reserve on31 May 1946 , berthed at San Diego."Cook" was recommissioned on
6 October 1953 , and took part in training and landing exercises off San Diego. She enteredMare Island Naval Shipyard for conversion to an APDflagship between28 November 1953 and15 March 1954 , and continued training operations out of San Diego until19 November , when she sailed for theFar East . After participating in amphibious exercises on the west coast ofKorea , she operated from21 January 1955 to19 May as flagship forOperation Passage to Freedom , the evacuation of refugees fromNorth Vietnam ."Cook" returned to San Diego on
12 June 1955, and sailed in various landing and training exercises as primary control vessel oranti-submarine ship. In November, she joined in a combined amphibious operation with Canadian forces. Local operations offCalifornia , including a period of service as a submarine target vessel, continued until21 March 1956 , when she sailed toKauai ,Hawaii , for an amphibious exercise in which she served as control vessel."Cook" returned to San Diego on
23 April 1956 for maintenance anti-submarine exercises, and public orientation cruises, until22 August 1957 , when she departed for a tour of duty in the westernPacific based at Yokosuka. She stood by offBorneo during theIndonesian crisis from 14 to22 December . Back home in San Diego on10 April 1958 , "Cook" participated in operations along the west coast, including major interservice exercises, and between13 October 1959 and29 April 1960 cruised in the Far East once more. Returning to theUnited States , "Cook" operated along the west coast for the remainder of 1960."Cook" was struck from the
Naval Register ,15 November 1969 , and sold for scrapping on24 July 1970 , toNational Metal & Steel Corporation ,Terminal Island , California.References
External links
* [http://history.navy.mil/danfs/c13/cook.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Cook"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/04130.htm navsource.org: USS "Cook"]* [http://geocities.com/usscookapd130/ USS "Cook" website]
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