Cook Cleland
Appearance
Cook Cleland | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | Not known |
Born | Cleveland, Ohio | December 24, 1916
Died | July 13, 2007 Pensacola, Florida | (aged 90)
Buried | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1940–1967 |
Rank | Captain |
Unit | Air Group 16 USS Lexington (CV-16) |
Commands held | VMF 653 |
Battles/wars | World War II Korean War |
Awards | Navy Cross Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Purple Heart Air Medal (4) |
Other work | Air race pilot |
Cook Cleland (December 24, 1916 – July 13, 2007) was a
Battle of Coral Sea and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Cleland won the 1947 and 1949 Thompson Trophy Air Races.[1]
Early life
Cook Cleland was born in
Cleveland, Ohio, in 1916, and graduated from the University of Missouri
in 1940.
World War II
Cleland joined the Navy and became a naval aviator shortly before the
dive bombers, providing close air support for the initial Guadalcanal
landings. Cleland was on the Wasp when she was sunk in September 1942, spending over 4 hours in the water, waiting for rescue.
Cleland was then assigned to the
Navy Cross and many other commendations.[2]
After returning to the United States, he evaluated captured enemy aircraft as a Navy test pilot. As a Navy Pilot, he is known as call sign "Cookie".
Interbellum
Following World War II, Cleland acquired the Euclid Avenue Airport small airport in suburban Willoughby, Ohio. As a fixed-base operator, he offered flying lessons, banner towing, and air charters.[3]
Cleland bought a surplus F4U Corsair [
Goodyear-manufactured FG-1A Corsair, BuNo.13841
], modified it for air racing, named it "Lucky Gallon" and flew it in the 1946 Thompson Trophy Race at an average of 357 miles per hour (575 km/h), finishing sixth.