TheBL.comBreaking News | US News | Politics | Coverage on Trump Administration
Beyond science
In great minds
Shedding light
Languages: English - TheBL.com 中文 - Bldaily.com Español - Bles.com Português - Pt.Bles.com Tiếng Việt - DKN.TV
U.S. 08/14/19, 10:29
Navy veteran, Texas' last known Pearl Harbor survivor dies at 96
Bella Williams | The BL
Navy veteran Aaron Cook, Texas's last known Pearl Harbor survivor, died at the age of 96 on Aug. 3, 2019. (ABC13)
The state of Texas, and the United States as a whole, just lost one of its heroes.
On Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019, Navy veteran Aaron Cook died at the age of 96. He was laid to rest in the national cemetery in Houston, Texas, on Thursday, Aug. 8, while friends and family gathered to pay their respects.
Before he died, Cook would often speak to children about his time in the Navy. And Cook would always bring up a horrific piece of American history that he witnessed … the attack on Pearl Harbor.
You see, prior to his death, Cook was the last-known Pearl Harbor survivor in the state of Texas.
After enlisting in the Navy just days after his 18th birthday, Cook was stationed on Battleship Row in Pearl Harbor. At the time of the attack, he was 19 years old and retold the events as they unfolded during a 2016 interview with ABC13's Ted Oberg.
"It was a pleasant day, just like all the rest of them," he recalled, "Suddenly, we heard these airplanes coming over. Somebody said, 'What's going on?'"
Cook also talked about his experience in a previous interview.
He originally thought he was watching a practice attack, but soon realized that wasn't the case. Thinking back on the terrible things he witnessed, he said, "Oh, goodness. I grew up in one day."
Following his funeral, his widow, Marjorie Cook, revealed that decades passed before Aaron Cook finally felt comfortable talking about what he had witnessed. And once that sense of comfort came, he made sure to spread the word about his experience:
"He was a great storyteller, but he did not say much for a long time," Marjorie Cook said. "I'd say it was 20 or 30 years before he'd ever talk about it. I think all of a sudden, it dawned on him what he'd been through. He was afraid that people were going to forget about that attack on Pearl Harbor. He wanted people to always remember that."
In his 2016 interview, he expressed those same sentiments.
When explaining why he told children about the attack on Pearl Harbor, Cook said it was to help the children realize it was an event that should never be repeated.
"I hope that they realize that, you know, it's something that we don't want to do again," he said. "Needless to say, I don't want to do it again anyway."
Tags:veteran Pearl Harbor Categories: U.S. Texas
U.S. News 07/23/19, 19:02
Zenon Dolnyckyj defending his right to freedom of belief in China
In Great Minds 06/07/19, 22:20
Do you know what communism really is?—Lenczowski-Part1
Hong Kong Protests 01/06/20, 09:17
Fearless in dangerous and hopeless conditions, Promise by LegCo, Tommy cheering Hong Kong up
"Mourning for you in 5 districts" activity held by HKSWGU, expressing Hong Kongers' spirit of never
The effect of music on shaping the soul
Culture 08/16/19, 11:00
When truth and beauty fall to victims of evil and atrocities
Iraq: protests over corruption in the country and Iran's meddling continue
Kellyanne Conway says Martin Luther King would be against impeaching President Trump
Leaked video exposes chief scientist contradicting herself on safety issues at WHO vaccine: Summit
Police looking for road rage suspect who shot little girl
2 dead, multiple injured in a Texas concert shooting; suspect on the run
'The Gamble Paid Off': former special operations commander analyses the 'coup' against Soleimani
Warning of possible false flag attack on Second Amendment advocates in Virginia
Russian Prime Minister Medvedev and his entire government announces shock resignation
Trending 01/16/20, 10:19
House Democrats speechless after being invited to name one fallen soldier who would justify not killing Iranian Gen. Soleimani
Democrats slammed for blocking House resolution condemning Iran for killing protesters
BL Copyright © 2017 - 2020