TRANSCRIBED FROM THE COURIER-INDEX NOVEMBER 29, 1918 PP. 1. 9
Nov. 1st. 1918.
Dear Mr. Hilton:
Your letter came several days ago. Indeed I was glad to hear from you again—of the successful season so far. I hope someday to get back to it. Little did we realize when I called up from Memphis that I was going to fly that within fifteen months I would be over the hottest part of the front. It is hot—impossible to go over without a combat.
The squadron has official credit of ten Boche and we are morally certain of eight more. I am in on three of the official and two of the eight. We generally go in a formation and several observrs concentrate their fire on one Boche, so usually several in the flight get the credit. The pilot gets as much credit as the observer even though he doesn’t fire a shot. So you see there is a chance of one becoming an ace without firing a shot. Funny, isn’t it?
Lieut. Thos. Jervey (South Carolina), observer, and our ordnance officer, with Lieut. Vic Strohn, pilot, yesterday ran into fourteen. It was a hot fight. Tom got two of them. One down in flames and one down out of control. The plane was shot up badly. Tom thought he heard one hit the cmera, so after they were safely over our side he went all over it, looking for the hole to plug it up with his handkerchief, so that the light would not ruin the plates. Then they decided to go back in and get the pictures. They saw the Boche land at their airdrome, then went over the course and got the pictures. They went about thirty kilometers in Germany. It was good work.
Our losses haven’t been so heavy, considering the observation we have met. We are outnumbered in the air on this front but we have the best of it.
We lost one of the old men in the squadron by a direct hit of anti-aircraft. A three inch high explosive shell. It hit behind the observer’s cockpit and blew the tail to pieces. One of the best flyers and one of the best observers in the squadron.
Guion Armstrong (Memphis) in a squadron car here was hit by a shell of our own barrage. When a plane is hit like that it is the rottenest luck in the world. Only one chance in a thousand of it happening.
Three of us had a scrap with between thirty and forty Boche several days ago. We got two of them. One of our pilots (Haughton—his first time over the lines) was hot in the hip. Not a serious wound. After our fight he went down. I followed him and we landed at the nearest airdrome. One of his tires was punctured but he made a good landing. We got him out of the machine and sent him to the hospital, as game as they make them.
The squadron has done good work. Three thousand, five hundred photographs, 140 combats, 30,000 kilometers over enemy territory. You know I was happy and proud to get in it. Our major is the best in the service. He has had more hours over the lines than any American major on the front and official credit for two Boche. He should be a colonel soon and will probably get the D. S. C.
I have had over 130 hours at the front. Feeling fine and like the work. Also have a single seater of my own now.
The attack started again this morning. With Turkey and Austria out of it, the end should be almost here. The American doughboy can eat the Boche up anyway.
I heard from Angus while he was there – lucky beggar. I wrote him on the 20th. Also got the paper which I think someone in the Bank of Marianna sent me. Surely rotten that such a big fire should come. Rather hard on everyone I know.
Remember me to Mrs. Hilton and the kiddies. Also Mr. Hugh Mixon and everybody.
Best of luck to yourself.
Sincerely,
COOK.
NOTES: This letter was written to Mr. D. P. Hilton of Marianna, Arkansas. Everett Richard Cook was born in Indiana December 13, 1894 and died in Memphis, Tennessee on January 21, 1974. When war broke out in 1917 he was living in Marianna, Arkansas and employed as a cotton broker. He continued to live there at least until the early 1920s. Cook was a decorated pilot eventually commanding the 91st Aero Squadron. He became an ace by downing 5 enemy planes and was awarded the Distinguished Cross and the French Croix de Guerre. During World War II he rose to the rank of Brigadier General. In civilian life he became a leading business man in Memphis. He is buried in Forrest Hill Cemetery Midtown, in Memphis.
TRANSCRIBED BY STEPHANE LECOINTE
Nov. 1st. 1918.
Dear Mr. Hilton:
Your letter came several days ago. Indeed I was glad to hear from you again—of the successful season so far. I hope someday to get back to it. Little did we realize when I called up from Memphis that I was going to fly that within fifteen months I would be over the hottest part of the front. It is hot—impossible to go over without a combat.
The squadron has official credit of ten Boche and we are morally certain of eight more. I am in on three of the official and two of the eight. We generally go in a formation and several observrs concentrate their fire on one Boche, so usually several in the flight get the credit. The pilot gets as much credit as the observer even though he doesn’t fire a shot. So you see there is a chance of one becoming an ace without firing a shot. Funny, isn’t it?
Lieut. Thos. Jervey (South Carolina), observer, and our ordnance officer, with Lieut. Vic Strohn, pilot, yesterday ran into fourteen. It was a hot fight. Tom got two of them. One down in flames and one down out of control. The plane was shot up badly. Tom thought he heard one hit the cmera, so after they were safely over our side he went all over it, looking for the hole to plug it up with his handkerchief, so that the light would not ruin the plates. Then they decided to go back in and get the pictures. They saw the Boche land at their airdrome, then went over the course and got the pictures. They went about thirty kilometers in Germany. It was good work.
Our losses haven’t been so heavy, considering the observation we have met. We are outnumbered in the air on this front but we have the best of it.
We lost one of the old men in the squadron by a direct hit of anti-aircraft. A three inch high explosive shell. It hit behind the observer’s cockpit and blew the tail to pieces. One of the best flyers and one of the best observers in the squadron.
Guion Armstrong (Memphis) in a squadron car here was hit by a shell of our own barrage. When a plane is hit like that it is the rottenest luck in the world. Only one chance in a thousand of it happening.
Three of us had a scrap with between thirty and forty Boche several days ago. We got two of them. One of our pilots (Haughton—his first time over the lines) was hot in the hip. Not a serious wound. After our fight he went down. I followed him and we landed at the nearest airdrome. One of his tires was punctured but he made a good landing. We got him out of the machine and sent him to the hospital, as game as they make them.
The squadron has done good work. Three thousand, five hundred photographs, 140 combats, 30,000 kilometers over enemy territory. You know I was happy and proud to get in it. Our major is the best in the service. He has had more hours over the lines than any American major on the front and official credit for two Boche. He should be a colonel soon and will probably get the D. S. C.
I have had over 130 hours at the front. Feeling fine and like the work. Also have a single seater of my own now.
The attack started again this morning. With Turkey and Austria out of it, the end should be almost here. The American doughboy can eat the Boche up anyway.
I heard from Angus while he was there – lucky beggar. I wrote him on the 20th. Also got the paper which I think someone in the Bank of Marianna sent me. Surely rotten that such a big fire should come. Rather hard on everyone I know.
Remember me to Mrs. Hilton and the kiddies. Also Mr. Hugh Mixon and everybody.
Best of luck to yourself.
Sincerely,
COOK.
NOTES: This letter was written to Mr. D. P. Hilton of Marianna, Arkansas. Everett Richard Cook was born in Indiana December 13, 1894 and died in Memphis, Tennessee on January 21, 1974. When war broke out in 1917 he was living in Marianna, Arkansas and employed as a cotton broker. He continued to live there at least until the early 1920s. Cook was a decorated pilot eventually commanding the 91st Aero Squadron. He became an ace by downing 5 enemy planes and was awarded the Distinguished Cross and the French Croix de Guerre. During World War II he rose to the rank of Brigadier General. In civilian life he became a leading business man in Memphis. He is buried in Forrest Hill Cemetery Midtown, in Memphis.
TRANSCRIBED BY STEPHANE LECOINTE