Vernon Lee Cook (1918 - 1971)

Born 8 May 1918 in Pittsburg, Crawford, Kansas, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Stanislawa (Czlonka) Smith — married Oct 1940 (to 22 Oct 1942) in Colón, Panama

Husband of Frances Gaynelle Cooke — married 7 Jul 1944 in Norfolk, Virginia, United States

Husband of Grace Violet Skall — married 3 Jul 1950 (to about 1957) in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Husband of Lori Irene (Lanegger) Cook — married 29 Oct 1962 (to 1967) in Clark, Nevada, United States

Descendants

Died 29 Apr 1971 at age 52 in Northridge, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jim Myers [send private message]

Biography

Early Years
Lee was born in 8 May 1918 in Pittsburg, Kansas to William Raymond Cook (1896-1954) and Marie McArdle (1900-1978). ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]} He was probably born at his paternal grandfather's house, and at age 1, he appeared in the 1920 US Census living at 2558 Sahler Street, Omaha Nebraska living next-door to his maternal grandparents and two uncles.^[1]

At age 12, he appeared in the 1930 US Census living with his mother and step-father (Swen Trust Nelson (1895-abt.1977)) at 166 W Thomas Road, Phoenix, Arizona. ^[2]

Lee grew up as an only child of Marie McArdle. The influence of his car salesman step-father probably paved his future path in sales. Comparing various forms Lee completed for the military alongside his father's actual geographic location, it is clear Lee had little contact with his father. He often indicated his father to be living in Pittsburg, Kansas. In reality, his father was in Utah, Colorado, or Texas.

Navy Years
When he was 18 years old (11 Aug 1936), Lee joined the Navy. He did his 2 week training at the Naval Training Center in San Diego (12 Aug 1936). He then joined the crew of the USS Minneapolis (CA-36) (2 Sep 1936) based in San Pedro, California. Lee's service record indicates he was 5' 11", brown eyes, and dark brown hair, slender build, and a ruddy complexion. He had some moles on face and neck. He also had a moderately deviated septum. ^[3]

Upon completion of his naval training, the Navy assigned him to become a Radioman. Throughout his naval career, he trained and progressed through the ranks specializing in radio electronics. ^[3]

4 Jan 1938 (Age 20) Lee was transferred to the USS Sandpiper (AVP-9). ^[3] The USS Sandpiper was a small ship that had an engine and sails. It had room for a small seaplane on the stern. It was assigned mapping and survey duties in the Caribbean during Lee's initial days aboard. The ship's home port was US Naval Base Coco Solo in the Panama Canal Zone near Colón, Panama. ^{[6] [7]}

On 1 Sep 1939, Hitler invaded Poland kicking off WWII. Although the US was not in the war yet, the Navy reassigned Lee to Patrol Squadron 32 (VP-32) in December. With Nazi Germany's influence in South America, President Roosevelt decided to beef up defenses in the Canal Zone to protect shipping lanes, Coco Solo, and more specifically enforce the Neutrality Acts. This squadron would patrol Caribbean waters and put up seaplanes to watch for Nazi submarines. ^[6]

Lee was interested in becoming a naval aviator. He received orders to "duty involving flying" in February 1940. His commander did not approve a pilot promotion for him. ^[3]

In Oct 1940, Lee married Stella Czlonka (abt.1921-1977) at Colón, Panama. ^[3]

In 1940 through October 1941 Lee made several trips to New York City as part of his radio electrician training. During one of these trips he met his first wife in New York. He was assigned to NAS New York, NAS Jacksonville, and on 6 Sep 1941 he started a one month stint at Canadian RAF Station Clinton, in Clinton, Ontario Canada for then top secret radar, or as it was known then "instruction designated "Zed"". By 13 Oct 1941, Lee was stationed back at NAS Jacksonville in Florida. ^[3]

The US entered WWII on 8 Dec 1941. Four months later, in Apr 1942, Lee's first child was born. His enlistment was up on 5 Jun 1942 and he re-enlisted in the Navy on 6 Jun 1942 (age 24). In Oct 1942 he was divorced. ^{[3] [8]}

For the remainder of the war, Lee was in patrol groups escorting shipping in the mid Atlantic. He was assigned to Composite Squadron 42 (VC-42) 23 Jul 1943. Specifically, he was assigned to the USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60). These hunter/killer groups put planes in the air to look for Nazi ships and submarines. The planes coordinated via radio with US ships in the group to attack Nazi craft. This technique proved so successful that by this point in the Battle of the Atlantic, German submarines stopped surfacing during daylight hours. On moonlit nights, the allies sent planes up to look for submarines, but this also put ships at risk of submarine attack when they lit up their decks for returning airplanes. VC-42 patrolled shipping lanes from the mid-Atlantic coast of the US to the Straits of Gibraltar in the Mediterranean. When German submarines surfaced, they filed reports back to Germany via radio. Using high frequency direction finding, radio operators in the hunter/killer groups were responsible for locating 24% of all killed and captured Nazi submarines. The USS Guadalcanal killed or captured several German U-boats. The USS Guadalcanal was homeported at NAS Norfolk during this time.

In 1944 Lee married Frances Gaynelle Cooke (abt.1919-abt.1993) and subsequently had another child. Their marriage certificate showed him stationed at NAS Wildwood in Cape May, New Jersey. ^[9]

Lee entered the Navy as an apprentice seaman. He promoted through all of the Aviation Radioman ranks. Aviation Radioman ranks operated Naval Aviation radio equipment, encrypting and decrypting messages as necessary. Prior to discharge, he held a temporary Warrant Officer rank in the Navy. He was honorably discharged from the Navy 3 May 1946 as a Radio Electrician. He was recommended by a procurement officer to have a permanent promotion to Warrant Officer in the Naval Reserve. There is no evidence this happened however. ^[3]

Following the war he divorced and moved to Chicago.

After the Navy
In 1950 Lee married Grace Violet Skall (1917-1975) in Chicago. He divorced by 1957. ^[10]

In 1955 Lee was working for EM Tee Inc and was the primary inventor of a signaling system for emergency vehicles. The invention provided a radio means to allow emergency vehicles to switch traffic lights to green in order to speed response times. This was not unlike what he did in the service (radio coordination hunting for Nazi subs). The patent was applied for 7 Sep 1955 and Patent US2881409A was granted 7 Apr 1959. Lee Cook was the original inventor of Traffic Signal Pre-emption. Today vehicles use flashing white lights to control signals. But this and all subsequent improvements to his original patent must refer to his patent. ^[11]

In the early 1960's Lee moved to Los Angeles. On 6 Jun 1962, Lee filed letters of incorporation to form LECOOK EQUIPMENT INC. This company distributed coin operated dry cleaning machines. Lee also had two laundries featuring the machines. ^[12]

Lee married Lori Irene Lanegger (1932-2003) in Oct 1962. The couple had a child. They were divorced by 1967. ^[13]

In 1968 (age 50), Lee married [Living-Cook] and had two more children. One of which was born after he passed away. ^[14]

Lee Cook passed away in 29 Apr 1971 at his home, 18209 Bermuda Street, Northridge, California (age 52). His cause of death was "acute cardiac insufficiency". He was cremated and buried at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth, California (Holly Point #552). ^{[4] [5] [15]}

Marriage History
Lee was married five times. He had children with four of his wives. In every case he left the family before his kids were old enough to really know him. Most have a recollection of a few meetings only. Understandably, most have hard feelings toward him and indifference toward other half-siblings. If you are a child of Lee, no other sibling got more time with him than you did. Most were left with a difficult situation to face or a giant mystery hole in their lives. His wives were often left in difficult circumstances. Fortunately, they were all very intelligent women who successfully went on to a great future.

The Lee Rule
All of Lee's known children have the middle name "Lee".

Vernon Lee Cook Jr Mystery
Lee had five children that are well documented. A birth certificate exists for a sixth child. This child was named "Vernon Lee Cook Jr" on the birth certificate. This would be Lee's second child with his first wife. Lee's first child has a childhood memory of this child called "Ritchie". Lee's first wife was left by Lee with no support and she had to give Ritchie up for adoption. In 1969 Lee claimed the child was not his. Lee's fourth wife believed that Lee had a son born to Lee's first wife named "Ritchie". This child was born with the "Lee" middle name. He named none of his subsequent sons "Vernon Lee Cook Jr".

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} 1920 United States Federal Census, Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., 1920. T625, 2076 rolls. Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.; Roll: T625_987; Census Place: Omaha Ward 2, Douglas, Nebraska; ED: 11; Page: 3B; Line 93. Household of William Cook. (Ancestry$) (Family Search)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} 1930 United States Federal Census, Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.; FHL microfilm: 2339795; Census Place: Osborn, Maricopa, Arizona; ED: 0109; Page: 2A; Line 45. Household of Swen Nelson (Ancestry $)(Family Search)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8} Military Service Record. National Personnel Records Center. Official Military Personnel File. Cook, Vernon Lee. Military Service Number: 380-96-72 USN. File held by Jim Myers (as of 2011).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Death Certificate of Cook, Vernon Lee. Death certificate 7097-018253 (1971), Los Angeles County Clerk-Recorder, Norwalk, Los Angeles, California.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} State of California. California Death Index, 1940-1997. Sacramento, CA, USA: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics. Place: Los Angeles; Date: 29 Apr 1971; Social Security: 226-34-2465. (Ancestry$)
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Michael D Roberts, Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons Volume 2, (Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy, Washington DC, 2000 Chapter3, Page 3. PDF : accessed 30 Apr 2022.
7. ↑ Naval History and Heritage Command, "USS Sandpiper AVP-9 NH108598" NHHC (https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-108000/NH-108598.html : Accessed 30 Apr 2022.
8. ↑ Florida Divorce Index 1927-2001 Cook-Czlonka. Duval County Florida. Certificate Number 10029. 1942. Ancestry.com Operations Inc. (Ancestry$)
9. ↑ Virginia Marriage Records 1936-2014 Cook-Cooke. Certificate Number 1944015506. Virginia Department of Health; Richmond, Virginia; Roll: 101168706. (Ancestry$)
10. ↑ Cook County Illinois Marriage Record Cook-Skall. Cook County Clerk Genealogy Records. Cook County Clerk’s Office, Chicago, IL: Cook County Clerk, 2008. Marriage License {30CEFB2B-1471-43E3-BB52-F4FF07291EE5}. File 2139727. 3 Jul 1950. (Ancestry$)
11. ↑ United States Patent & Trademark Office, Patent 2,881,409 7 Apr 1959.
12. ↑ California Secretary of State File C0433938. Filing : accessed 1 May 2022.
13. ↑ Nevada Marriage Record Cook-Lanegger. Nevada Marriage Index, 1956-2005. Carson City, Nevada: Nevada State Health Division, Office of Vital Records. Clark County. Marriage Date: 29 Oct 1962. Page C08. (Ancestry$)
14. ↑ Marriage Record Cook-Ward. California Marriage Index, 1960-1985. State of California. California Marriage Index, 1960-1985. Microfiche. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. State File 74507. (Ancestry$)
15. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/90296414/vernon-lee-cook : accessed 01 May 2022), memorial page for Vernon Lee Cook (8 May 1918–29 Apr 1971), Find a Grave Memorial ID 90296414, citing Oakwood Memorial Park, Chatsworth, Los Angeles County, California, USA ; Maintained by JimmeShelter (contributor 47438533) .

• Picture of the USS Minneapolis
• Picture of the USS Sandpiper
• Find-a-Grave Vernon Lee Cook (1918-1971)
• Burial Location