Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Silver Star

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Sergeant [then Specialist Fourth Class]

    Regiment:

    11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

    Action Date:

    August 9, 1969

    Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam, General Orders No. 3211 (October 24, 1969)

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant [then Specialist Fourth Class] Edward M. Cook, United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 9 August 1969 while serving as a rifleman with the Aero-Rifle Platoon of the Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date he volunteered to participate in a mission to capture several enemy soldiers spotted in an area west of An Loc. After being inserted into an area of suspected enemy activity, the friendly element began moving through the dense jungle. When two of the enemy were spotted Sergeant Cook quickly covered them with his rifle fire while other members of the search element secured and interrogated the prisoners. The hostile soldiers then provided information which led to the capture of an enemy officer. After the prisoners had been returned to the landing zone, Sergeant Cook helped pursue three more enemy soldiers who had been spotted escaping across a river. He provided suppressive fire while two of his comrades moved into the river and captured the fleeing hostile troops. Suddenly the friendly element began receiving fire from a hostile force on the other side of the river. Reacting instantly, Sergeant Cook retaliated with accurate automatic weapons fire, killing two of the enemy and allowing his comrades to move to the landing zone for extraction. Sergeant Cook’s courage, resourcefulness and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.