Lester Earl Cook

Lester Earl Cook was born on March 17, 1895 in Alexandria, Virginia. Cook was the child of John Thomas, a traveling salesman, and Magie May Cook. In 1919 Lester Cooke married Ethel Ohlert, and in 1920, he was living with his wife and mother-in-law. In 1920 Cook completed the Virginia War History Questionnaire, answering a series of question about his life and service in World War I.

Cook was a Methodist prior to going to war and he noted that his religious beliefs had not changed after seeing combat. Both before and after the war Cook worked as a rate clerk for the Washington Southern R&R Company, or the "Southern Railway" as he referred to it, which had a major rail yard located in Alexandria, Virginia. Cook never mentioned any formal schooling, his work as a rate clerk would have necessitated some education, either in schooling or on the job training.

Cook initially claimed exemption to service due to "grave sickness" in his family. Then, in November 1917, he entered into the service of the United States Army Infantry Machine Gun Company. He trained at Camp Lee in Petersburg, Virginia where he most likely would have learned how to follow commands, use basic weapons, and physical exercise. In 1920, Cook reported that his “could not have benefitted better” both physically and mentally from his military training. Specifically Cook notes that through training he gained 35lbs from training, going from 115lbs to 150lbs by the time he left for war. 

After training Cook set out from Newport News, Virginia on the USS Mercury, a ship seized from the German Empire and refitted to American needs in wartime. In June of 1918 Cook arrived in Bordeaux where he spent only a few days before moving on to Calais then Frencq, and eventually and, by July 1918, Cook had reached the Western Front. Cook saw combat for the first time in August of 1918 while in Albert, France. He went on to engage in combat in Saint-Mihiel, Artois, Meuse-Argonne. In September of 1918, while in the trenches of Cuisy, Cook reported being “gassed slightly.” His condition was not severe enough, or as Cook writes he was “not gassed badly enough,” to be evacuated and he was attended to by a doctor in the trenches. Commenting in 1920 on his experience Cook downplayed his experience personally, but offered a sense of the horrors of war and dangers he experienced. “War is indeed a very devastating agent. Should by all means try to be avoided to the utmost. Chief impression was that one should be ready to meet his Master at any time.” 

Cook arrived back in the United States in a Boston port in June of 1919 with the rank of Sergeant. He returned home and continued working as a rate clerk. His reflections are not uncommon and the impression that war should be avoided at all cost is a common sentiment in many of the Virginia War History Commission questionnaires. The soldiers that were sent overseas saw unimaginable devastation and many of them had to come to terms with the death that they faced daily while serving.

 1910; Census Place: Alexandria Ward 3, Alexandria (Independent City), Virginia; Roll: T624_1620; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 0006; FHL microfilm: 1375633

United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. 

Cook, Lester Earl. War History Commission State of Virginia Military Service Record. Library of Virginia, Virginia War History Commission. https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma990006662630205756&context=L&vid=01LVA_INST:01LVA&lang=en&search_scope=MyInstitution&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=LibraryCatalog&query=any,contains,Cook,%20Lester%20Earl&offset=0.