Orval R. Cook

Orval R. Cook
Official portrait of General Orval Ray Cook, USAF
Born	July 27, 1898 West Union, Indiana
Died	March 18, 1980(1980-03-18) (aged 81) Falls Church, Virginia
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1922–1956
Rank	General
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit

Orval Ray Cook (July 27, 1898 – March 18, 1980) was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as Deputy Commander in Chief, United States European Command (DCINCEUR) from 1954 to 1956.

Cook was born in 1898 in West Union, Indiana. He graduated from the United States Military Academy on June 13, 1922 and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Air Service.

Entering Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas, Cook graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas in January 1924 and remained there as an instructor. That August he joined the Third Pursuit Squadron at Clark Field in the Philippines, returning to Brooks Field in September 1926 as assistant engineering officer and flying instructor at the Primary Flying School.

Entering the Air Corps Engineering School at Wright Field, Ohio in June 1929, Cook graduated a year later and was assigned to the Aircraft Branch at Materiel Division Headquarters there as Chief, Propeller Laboratory. He became an instructor at the U.S. Military Academy in June 1934, graduated from the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama, four years later, and from the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in June 1939.

Reassigned to the Materiel Center at Wright Field, Cook served with the Engineering Section of the Production Division becoming chief of the section in April 1942. That November he was named district supervisor of the Eastern Procurement District at New York City, and the following May returned to Wright Field as chief of the Production Division. Named Chief, Procurement Division, June 1944. DSM citation. Service Record. Oral History

Ordered to the Southwest Pacific in June 1945, General Cook joined the Far East Air Forces on Okinawa where he established an Air Force Depot and directed Air Force supply and maintenance activities in that area. After cessation of hostilities he was sent to Japan to establish an Air Depot and to assume command of the Seventh Air Service Area Command. Going to Manila in January 1946, he assumed command of the Far East Air Service Command (later redesignated the Pacific Air Service Command).