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General Characteristics Crew List Memorabilia Cruise Books Accidents aboard the Ship About the Ship's Name to end of page |  |
USS COOK was the 32nd KNOX - class frigate. The USS COOK was the second ship of the Fleet to be named COOK and the first one to be named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Wilmer Paul Cook. Originally designated as destroyer escort (DE), the COOK was redesignated as frigate (FF) on July 30, 1975. Decommissioned on April 30, 1992, the COOK was leased to Taiwan in 1994. There she was recommissioned as HAE YANG. Stricken from the Navy list on January 11, 1995, the COOK was finally purchased by Taiwan on September 29, 1999.
| General Characteristics: | Awarded: August 25, 1966 |
| Keel laid: March 20, 1970 | |
| Launched: January 23, 1971 | |
| Commissioned: December 18, 1971 | |
| Decommissioned: April 30, 1992 | |
| Builder: Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans, La. | |
| Propulsion system: 2 - 1200 psi boilers; 1 geared turbine, 1 shaft; 35,000 shaft horsepower | |
| Length: 438 feet (133.5 meters) | |
| Beam: 47 feet (14.4 meters) | |
| Draft: 25 feet (7.6 meters) | |
| Displacement: approx. 4,200 tons full load | |
| Speed: 27 knots | |
| Armament: one Mk-16 missile launcher for ASROC and | |
| Aircraft: one | |
| Crew: 18 officers, 267 enlisted |
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageCrew List:
This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS COOK. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageUSS COOK Cruise Books:
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Accidents aboard USS COOK:
| Date | Where | Events |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 1979 | off Point Loma, Calif. | USS COOK and the USS MARS (AFS 1) collide off Point Loma, injuring seven. |
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About the Ship's Name:
Wilmer Paul Cook, born in Annapolis, Maryland, 1 October 1932, attended high school in Annapolis, Maryland, and one year of college at the University of Maryland before entering the Naval Academy in 1952. Following his commissioning in June 1956, he entered flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in October 1957.
He became an expert in flying the A-4E, Douglas Skyhawk, and on one occasion he planned and flew across country record flight in the Skyhawk. He served in Attack Squadrons 125, 216, 192 and 112 and then joined Attack Squadron 155.
On two deployments to the Tonkin Gulf on the carriers CONSTELLATION (CVA 64) and CORAL SEA (CVA 43) he flew over 300 missions, risking his life countless times. When he lost his Squadron Commanding Officer and Executive Officer, he took command of Attack Squadron 155 and continued to lead his men on successful strikes against North Vietnamese targets.
On 22 December, 1967, Lieutenant Commander Cook perished when his plane, the "City of Annapolis," was hit by enemy fire while leading an air strike on supply routes between Vinh and Ha Tinh. An able veteran, he had been due for shore duty but chose to return to the war zone. His values and deep insight into his reasons for fighting were expressed in a conversation with his father, in which he said, "I'll always go where my country sends me and will always do whatever it asks. Perhaps what I am doing may keep my two sons from going to war." Prior to his death, he received numerous medals for his heroism in the line of duty in connection with air attacks on active North Vietnamese missile sites and patrol craft. His decorations for valor include three Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Navy Commendation Medals, and five Air Medals for Meritorious Achievement.
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