Pender County veteran recalls time being taken as Prisoner of War

HAMPSTEAD, NC (WWAY) — Memorial Day is a time to remember those who paid the ultimate price for freedom while serving in the Armed Forces. One Pender County man shares his experience when he thought he was going to die while serving overseas.

A Wilmington native, Jim Cook enlisted in the US Air Force in September 1962 shortly after he graduated from Wilmington Junior College. During his service, he was stationed in several places across the United States, Germany, and Southeast Asia.

Ten years into his service, one flight changed Cook’s life. On December 26, 1972, the aircraft he was working on was shot down over Vietnam. When the first missile hit, the pilot was killed. After being hit a couple more times, the aircraft turned over and everyone was told to eject. Cook says another officer in the front of the aircraft was killed upon ejection.

“I was riding in the back. That was the gunner’s position on that particular aircraft. When it does an oddball maneuver, you can’t get out very easy,” Cook said. “I was still in it when the last missle hit and it exploded and blew me out. I woke up on the ground. The parachute worked!”

Before the crash, Cook had a conversation with his then-girlfriend Doris based on what had been going on. He told her his plans if they were to be shot down.

“I guess I kind of brought up that I guess if we were going to get shot down then I kind of…you know…maybe I needed to not survive. That was my thoughts at the time,” Cook said. “Then it didn’t work out that way, I survived.”

After surviving the crash, Cook was taken as a prisoner of war for 48 days at Hỏa Lò Prison, nicknamed The Hanoi Hilton. He was released during Operation Homecoming on February 12, 1973, because of the extent of his injuries. Cook was photographed saluting from his stretcher as he was loaded onto the airplane.

He spent 16 months at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center in Colorado. His back and legs were fractured, his shoulder was broken, and he was suffering from multiple burns. Ultimately, Cook lost both of his legs. He says the great care he received at Fitzsimmons and Doris got him through the difficult time.

Through all of his treatments and surgeries, Cook was still thinking about proposing to Doris.

“I told her, ‘I won’t have any legs. Do you have an issue with that?’ That’s when she brought up the fact, ‘well, I have this list of my requirements if I should get married again,'” Cook said.

“It was posted on my mirror in my bedroom,” Doris added. “She said, ‘I looked at it and I didn’t see legs mentioned anywhere,'” Cook laughed.

The day after he was discharged, the two married. Next month, Jim and Doris will celebrate 49 years of marriage.