Henry J. Cook Iii: A Profile In Courage

Henry J. Cook III is the National Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), the only congressionally chartered veterans' service organization for combat-wounded veterans. The MOPH, with more than 39,000 Patriot members, exists to offer support and assistance to the combat wounded and their families. His story is indeed a profile in courage.

Henry Cook first enlisted in the Army in 1953 at the age of 16. The Army sent him home, but he went back in 1955 and enlisted again. He was excited about the Special Forces and joined the elite unit in 1959. He completed airborne training and in 1964 graduated from Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a 2d Lt., Infantry. His Army assignments included training in three Army branches: Infantry, Intelligence and Artillery. However, most of his time was spent in Special Forces.

He was a career Special Forces (Green Beret) officer, having served for 42 years of combined duty, active and reserve, and was a Green Beret for 33 of those years. He retired as a colonel of Special Forces.

Behind Enemy Lines

His combat tours began in Viet- nam, where in 1967-68, as a lieutenant and captain, he was a member of the then top-secret Mobile Guerrilla Forces, which involved the leading of indigenous troops in operations behind enemy lines and in areas denied to conventional military forces. He operated behind enemy lines for extended periods of time conducting guerrilla operations against North Vietnamese and Vietcong targets.

Wounded On His Birthday

He was first wounded on February 3, 1968 (his birthday), and was wounded a second time while a patient in the Intensive Care Unit of the 3rd Surgical (MASH) Hospital at Dong Tam, Vietnam during the 1968 Tet Offensive.

In 1990, Cook was called back to active duty to serve at the U. S. Special Operations Command, where he served as a Deputy Director of Special Operations. He served in support of Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Operation Provide Comfort, which provided relief and protection to the Kurds in Northern Iraq.

Cook, a master parachutist, is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army Special Forces School. He is a practicing attorney and currently serves as a municipal judge in Bay St. Louis, Miss.

Besides two Purple Hearts, Colonel Cook's military decorations include the Bronze Star for Valor and the Combat Infantry Badge.

By: Wendy Mitchell

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com