340th Bomb Group   

487th Bomb Squadron

 

487th_squadron_insignia2

 

Charles Cook’s Photo Collection

of R &R in Egypt, Holy Land, and Rome 1944

Edited by his son Doug Cook

LAST Updated October 18, 2014

 

Following in Dad’s Footsteps with my Family

 

rnr_egypt_orders

Charles Cook was sent on R&R after suffering PTSD in Aug 15, 1944 Mission

During D-Day S. France at Avignon

 

Cairo Airport

 

RnR_MISR_Air1_De_Haviland_DH86_Express_R

Arrival in Cairo by B-25s in the background. 

Dad took these tourist photos of MISR AIRLINES DeHavilland DH86 Express. 

Misr Airlines is now Egypt Air.

RnR_MISR_Air_Egypt_Air002_R

 

Egypt_Giza_Lts_Bloomberg_Sparling_Cook_Mc_Laughlin_small

North Africa was liberated by May10, 1943 by Allied Operation Torch

US Army Air Corps from Corsica on R&R in Egypt

Giza Pyramids –Tourists on camels 1944

Lts. Bloomberg, Sparling, Cook, “Mac” McLaughlin

 

RnR_Egypt__Giza_Lts_Bloomberg_Sparling_Cook_Mc_Laughlin_R

Note the Sphinx to the left.  The site looks very different today (see below).

 

RnR_Egypt_Pyramid_camel_R

Charles Cook posing on a camel.

 

These photos are among my favorites from Dad’s photo album. I remember the pyramid photos from my youngest years- sparking a desire for travel and adventure. Humphrey Bogart is there somewhere around the bend!  I do remember his anecdote of the trip to Egypt on R&R from Corsica. He and his buddies flew a B-25 to a base in Alexandria and put it in for maintenance to extend the leave.  They played Golf and went down to Cairo to see the pyramids.  No doubt the young servicemen found other entertainments!  Their photo by the pyramids evokes my memories of being there with my family in 1999 (below) posing on a camel.  The tourist industry there hasn’t changed much in 2000-3000 years when the pyramids were already an ancient tourist attraction.

 

 

egypt_family_giza_jan_1999_small

EGYPT GIZA  1999-   55 years later

Son Doug Cook (me)- Tourist on camel in Dad’s footsteps

 

egypt_family_giza_jan_1999b_smLL

GIZA  1999- 55 years later

Haley, Doug, and Elizabeth (expecting!) Cook- Tourists in Grandpa’s footsteps.

 

_Sphinx_2009

GIZA 2009.  Madeline is nine!

 

town_wall003_R

From Dad’s collection: Wall mural somewhere in North Africa with evidence of German occupation.

town_wall_Nazi_R

 

 

town_wall002_R

Local color.

 

 

ALEAXANDRIA 1944

Alexandria_Taxi_Bloomberg_McLaughlin_Hyland_Cook_001

TAXI in ALEXANDRIA   

Bloomberg, McLaughlin, Hyland, Cook

 

alexandria_Beer_Wagon

BEER WAGON!!  in ALEXANDRIA 

 

  RnR_Beach002_R

Beach in Alexandria.  Harvey Hyland on the left.  More local color.

 

RnR_beach003_R2

 

RnR_Beach001_R

Alexandria beach.  Harvey Hyland shows his acrobatic skills for the locals.

 

Chas and Harvey by the pool

 

CAIRO 1944

Cairo_American_Bar_Restaurant_Music_Hall

AMERICAN BAR -  RESTAURANT- MUSIC HALL

Must have been a memorable night!

 

cairo_Mosque

Al RIFAI MOSQUE   CAIRO

 

heliopolis_

CAIRO  suburb HELIOPOLIS- ancient Greek City

 

487th Squadron Crew Visits the Holy Land – Palestine during 1944 WWII

http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/sespics/58767.jpg

 

 

Tel_Aviv_local_soldier_guarding_B25

TEL AVIV-  Local soldier guards the B-25 while the crew is touring

 

Jerusalem_from_Mt_of_Olives

JERUSALEM from the Mount of Olives

 

Jerusalem_street_1944

JERUSALEM 1944-  Little changed in 2000 years

 

Jerusalem_Via_Dolorosa_Way_of_the_Cross

JERUSALEM- 1944 Via Dolorosa  -  The ‘Way of the Cross’ Jesus bore

 

Jerusalem_Church_of_All_Nations

JERUSALEM 1944-  Church of All Nations

 

Jerusalem_Wailing_wall

JERUSALEM 1944-  ‘The Wailing Wall’  or ‘Western Wall’ on the Temple Mount

The Western Wall is holy to the Jewish people because it is thought to be the only remnant of the

Temple in Jerusalem and the one wall located closest to the Holy of Holies, the holiest site in Judaism.

 

dead_sea_mt_moab_moses_sights_holy_land

DEAD SEA 1944 -  Looking across to Mt. Moab (Jordan) from where Moses saw the Holy Land

 

RnR_Holy_Land_McLaughlin_R

“Mac” McLaughlin 

 

Holy_Land_Mac_asleep_after_tour

“Mac” McLaughlin  asleep in a taxi after the Holy Land tour

 

Jordan_Mt_Moab

JORDAN   MT. MOAB 2002-  ‘Shrine to Moses’   Cook Family Tour

 

Jordan_2002

JORDAN 2002

Doug Cook with Madeline, Haley, and Elizabeth

 

ROME 1944

rome_vatican

Rome Vatican City 1944 after liberation (June 4, 1944).

Photographed from a B-25 on approach for R&R.

 

Rome Tiber River

 

Victor Emanuel’s Tomb

 

rome_vatican_pope

Pope Pius XII   Blessing the Troops

 on Dad’s visit to Vatican City after liberation (June 4,1944)

 

 

  

B-25 Pilots  Lt. Charles Cook and Lt. Serangeli

at St. Peters in the Vatican on R&R  1944

 

Lt. Chas. Cook

 

rome_st_peters_obelisk

Rome on R&R  1944

 

St Peters Square from St Peters Cathedral Dome

 

rome_vatican_st_peters_square

St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican on R&R  1944

Note the Egyptian Obelisk

 

 

 

St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican 2002

58  years later.

Cook Family with baby Madeline following in Grandpa’s Footsteps.

Note the same Egyptian Obelisk.  It was a record 100 deg. heat wave in Italy.

The mountain fed aqueduct water in the fountains was blessedly cold and following the locals’ lead- delicious to drink.

The gelato was mighty tasty also!

 

Return to Index