Harold F Cookman

S/Sgt Harold Cookman was lost in the Ship's 10th Mission, out of Africa, Target ... Sea Sweep.  31 March, 1943

Sumner Hudson was Harold's 'forever-friend' from their hometown of Clear Lake, IOWA, it is Sumner that has "filled in the blanks" for us, naming the picture, and telling stories such as how "Trouble" was named after Harold's older sister !  Sumner is living with his wife in TX .   20 Oct. 2009 (Barbi Ennis Connolly)

Cookman, Harold F., S/Sgt., Radio-Gunner, Enlistment Service # : 17043268
KILLED IN ACTION on 31 March 1943~448th Bombardment Squadron War Diary:
On March 31, 1943,  on a low element sea sweep over the Mediterranean Sea, Off of Northeastern Tunisia, the first battle casualties of the squadron occurred.  2 Crews, (13 Men), and 2 Planes were Lost, 1st Lts. Hess, McKinney; 2nd Lts:  Campbell, Welton; S/Sgts:  Cookman, Hines, Kirol, McGinnis, McMurray, Ratajczyk, Rodgers, Headings and Lottes were shot down into the Mediterranean Sea by enemy fighters.  The mission however did succeed in sinking two enemy ships.

At 12:45 15 planes off to bomb on sea sweep, over the Mediterranean Sea.  14 (planes) dropped 84 x 500 bombs.  12 planes back at 17:05.  One landed at Bone.  Met convoy, lower element (48) claims M/V (Military Vessel) broken in two, one M/V (Military Vessel) left sinking, one left burning.  4 E/A (Enemy Aircraft) destroyed.  About 50 E/A (Enemy Aircraft) attacked 2 B-25’s (Lts:  Hess and McKinney) shot down.  Intense, heavy accurate flak, balloon barrage.  Bombing was at 100-200 feet.  Weather: Clear.
Own Aircraft Losses:  Two.  B-25C 41-13209 and B-25C 41-13205.  One by flak and 1455 hours - 37°35’N, 10°47’E; the other by fighters at 1512 hours - 37°48’N, 10°27E.

Low Element
A/C No.  41-13209 “Trouble” (MACR-14579 “Lost at Sea.  Aircraft was lost to enemy aircraft and anti-aircraft”)

P: Hess, Robert G., 1Lt
CP: Welton, Mert J., 2Lt
N: None
B: McMurray, Walter J., S/Sgt
E: Rodgers, Herbert E., S/Sgt
R: Cookman, Harold F., S/Sgt
G: Hines, Ralph V., S/Sgt
F: None

Barbi Ennis Connolly, Historian for the 321st Bomb Group. PRINCESSBARBI_B25@msn.com  Additions/Corrections ?

U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
NAME COOKMAN#HAROLD#F########  COOKMAN#HAROLD#F########  
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 17043268  17043268  
RESIDENCE: STATE 72  IOWA  
RESIDENCE: COUNTY 033  CERRO GORDO  
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT 7236  FT DES MOINES IOWA  
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 06  06  
DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 02  02  
DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 42  42  
GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PVT#  Private  
GRADE: CODE 8  Private  
BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION AC#  Air Corps  
BRANCH: CODE 20  Air Corps  
FIELD USE AS DESIRED #  #  
TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5  Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency,
plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law  
LONGEVITY ###  ###  
SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL 0  Civil Life  
NATIVITY 72  IOWA  
YEAR OF BIRTH 13  13  
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 1  White, citizen  
EDUCATION 6  2 years of college  
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION 128  Mail carriers  
MARITAL STATUS 6  Single, without dependents  
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 6  Army of the United States - includes the following: Voluntary enlistments effective December 8, 1941 and thereafter; One year enlistments of National Guardsman whose State enlistment expires while in the Federal Service; Officers appointed in the Army of the United States under Army Regulations 605-10  
CARD NUMBER #  #  
BOX NUMBER 0243  0243  
FILM REEL NUMBER 2.100  2.100  
--
PHOTO
National WWII Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Registry~NARA~War Department Files
Honoree Hometown Service Source   
Harold Cookman Clear Lake, IA U.S. Army Air Forces Sumner Hudson   
Harold Cookman
BRANCH OF SERVICE: U.S. Army Air Forces
HOMETOWN: Clear Lake, IA
HONORED BY: Sumner Hudson, Friend    

ACTIVITY DURING WWII
HE SERVED IN AFRICA . THE INFORMATION IS THAT HE NEVER RETURNED FROM A BOMBING OVER AUSTRIA, EARLY IN WWII, MARCH 31, 1943. PLANE CRASHED IN MEDITERRANEAN OCEAN.
--
National WWII Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Registry~NARA~War Department Files
Honoree Hometown Service Source  
Harold F. Cookman Cerro Gordo County, IA U.S. Army  National Archives   
S SG Harold F. Cookman   ID: 17043268
Branch of Service: U.S. Army
Hometown: Cerro Gordo County, IA
Status: FOD
--
National WWII Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Registry~NARA~War Department Files
Honoree Hometown Service Source  
Harold F. Cookman IA U.S. Army Air Forces ABMC Tablets of the Missing  
Harold F. Cookman   ID: 17043268
Entered the Service From: Iowa
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Service: U.S. Army Air Forces, 448th Bomber Squadron, 321st Bomber Group, Medium
Died: Wednesday, March 31, 1943
Memorialized at: North Africa American Cemetery
Location: Carthage, Tunisia
Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart  
--
From: findagrave.com:
SSgt Harold F Cookman
Birth:  unknown
Death:  Mar. 31, 1943  
Note: Entered the service from Iowa.   
Burial: North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial ABMC
Tunis, Tunisia
Plot:  Not Given
--
http://www.co.cerro-gordo.ia.us/Veteran/Vets_Memorial_Directory.pdf
MASON CITY (IOWA) AREA VETERANS MONUMENT~PHASE V DIRECTORY
Page 10 of 60:
Name alphabetical~ Veteran's Name as on stone ~Stone and Location
Cookman, Harold F. Harold F. Cookman USAF / KIA Stone 3, Side 1, 2nd Column, Middle