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Date Posted: Mon, May 22 2017, 14:44:48 PDT
Author: Steve Gattis
Author Host/IP: h241.236.88.75.dynamic.ip.windstream.net / 75.88.236.241
Subject: GET TO KNOW DEN COOK
In reply to: Terrell L. Morris 's message, "A brother is lost." on Sun, May 21 2017, 13:02:34 PDT

DEN COOK, LIFE MEMBER #300, TAN SON NHUT 67 – 68

As I look back on the years that I have known Den, I am thankful that he was one of the founders of the VSPA because it gave me the opportunity to know him. His Life Member number was a tribute gift paid for by Lt Col Kent Miller for Den’s work as our Treasurer for many years. We handled the daily business of the VSPA and frequently had lunch together when we both lived in California. What many people do not know is that Den was a great writer who believed in our mission to preserve our history. His stories are listed under the Tan Son Nhut Air Base Stories on our web site at the following link: http://www.vspa.com/tsn-stories.htm.

Take the time to click on the following link http://www.vspa.com/tsn-cook-deros-al-1968.htm to find Den’s tribute to a dear friend named Al. His other stories lead you through his year in Vietnam: His own frightening experience of TET 68 in Heaven’s Door; Hotel California is an extraordinary tribute to friendship with the ARVN soldiers he worked with at The Fort and follows the lyrics of the song by the Eagles; Kaboom provides a very short vision of tragedy; King Rat is Den’s hilarious saga of rats in his bunker; his story of Mamasan and what she used to wash uniforms is a very telling story that lives on as a lesson for those who followed in our footsteps. Don’t miss Whistling Dixie, a testimony to fighting fatigue while on post for 22 hours a day during an alert. Den wrote well and with a great deal of heart. His story about his friend Al is poignant, deeply moving and frustrating, especially if you served in Vietnam and lost someone over there.

Den spoke often of Bill McKissick, his sector supervisor at Tan Son Nhut, and how Bill led his troops in prayer while on the posting truck. Den and Bill were dear friends for many many years, brothers in war and in the VSPA. Both believed that they would be together again after they stood their final Guardmount. Now, Den lives on through his legacy of stories that preserve a wonderful piece of our history. Follow the links. Get to know Den and you may find yourself remembering similar situations.

My prayers are with you and your family, Den. Lise and I will miss you.

Steve

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Replies:

  • Den Cook - missed already -- Don Poss, Thu, May 25 2017, 7:55:06 PDT (cpe-104-173-37-206.socal.res.rr.com/104.173.37.206)
  • Re: Den Cook - missed already -- Frank Pilson LM-28 (God Rest His Soul), Sat, May 27 2017, 8:48:27 PDT (c-73-141-246-120.hsd1.pa.comcast.net/73.141.246.120)
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