Lewis Cooke: In My Own Words

Lewis Cooke of Tionesta, Pennsylvania grew up in Rhode Island. As a young man he was a merchant mariner, but in the mid 60s he was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War.

“That year in Vietnam was the worst of my life,” he says with humor rimmed sincerity. “I can’t believe I made it out alive. Just stupid luck maybe.”

Lewis’ infantry job was to “seek and destroy” the enemy. That meant countless helicopter trips deep into the jungle, where his squad would roam the countryside for days and weeks with one goal—to kill the enemy. “We weren’t on good will missions, and I’m not proud of that,” Lewis says. “I had a job to do, but I never wanted to hurt anyone.”

This interview is a production of the Veteran Voices of Pittsburgh Oral History Initiative, in partnership with the Veterans Breakfast Club. It was recorded March 20, 2014 at Mt. Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Tionesta, Pennsylvania.

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