LtCdr Lemuel Doty Cooke

[keith A]

Cooke flew with VF-17 in 1943-44 and claimed at least one kill. Can anyone give me details of his aerial victories?

He was killed post-war as a test pilot.

regards

Keith

[twocee]

I don't know about any of his claims---he may not have scored with VF17---but you should note that Cooke was transferred out of VF17 on 9 January 1944. He joined VF38, flying F6Fs, and became C.O. on 31 January, leading that squadron during the remainder of its SoPac combat tour. The squadron was based at Barakoma and Bougainville, finishing in March.

[SteveR]

From Frank Olynyk's USN Credits For the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft in Air-to-Air Combat World War 2:

020544 1045-1100 Zeke dam.
021944 1025 Zeke

Both with VF-38

[keith A]

Many thanks chaps