Gilbert R . Cook Gilbert R . Cook ( December 30 , 1889 – September 19 , 1963 ) was a United States Army general . He had a thirty - six - year military career in the United States Army . He served in World War I in France and Germany , commanded the 21st Infantry during the Pearl Harbor attack , and commanded infantry troops in France during World War II . Early career . Cook was born in Texarkana , Arkansas . He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1912 and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry . He served on the Mexican Border in Arizona , New Mexico and Texas from 1912 to 1915 . He married Doris Frederick on September 2 , 1914 at Ft . Sam Houston , Texas . In 1914 , he served in the Panama Canal Zone and the Philippine Islands , then returned to the W . R . General Hospital in October 1915 from Panama . In June 1916 he reported to Fort Benjamin Harrison , Indiana for duty in mustering the National Guard for border patrol duty , and in July 1917 , went to Jefferson barracks , Missouri for duty in recruiting . World War I . In April , 1918 , he joined the 58th Infantry and went to France with that regiment in May 1918 . He served at St . Mihiel , Meuse - Argonne , Aisne - Marne , Vesle River and Marne - Ourcq engagements . He received the Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Croix de Guerre for bravery . He returned to the States in August 1919 , after serving with the 58th Infantry in the American Forces in Germany . Between the Wars . He taught at the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning , Georgia from October 1919 to July 1921 , when he returned to Germany for duty with the 8th Infantry at Coblenz until March 1923 . Upon his return , he served at Fort Screven , Georgia and Fort McPherson , Georgia until August 1924 . He entered the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , and finished in June , 1925 as a “ distinguished graduate ” . He then went to Georgia School of Technology as Professor of Military Science and Tactics , and served there until July 1926 . He then returned to Fort Benning , Georgia as an instructor in the Infantry School through 1930 . In September of that year , he entered the Tank School at Fort George G . Meade , Maryland , and was graduated in June , 1931 . He then entered the Army War College in Washington , D . C . and was graduated in June 1932 . He next was assigned to the 12th Infantry at Fort Washington , Maryland , until September 1932 , when he joined the War Department General Staff in Washington D . C . for duty in the Operations and Training Division , G - 3 . He became Commanding Officer of Fort Washington , Maryland , in September 1936 . In September , 1938 he was appointed Chief of Attack Section and later Chief of Command Section at the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , and served there until 1941 . World War II . In April 1941 Cook went to Schofield Barracks , Hawaii , as Commanding Officer of the 21st Infantry . He commanded the 21st Infantry Regiment in the Pearl Harbor attack , for which he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge . In April 1942 , he was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division as Assistant Division Commander . In June 1942 he was designated as Commanding General of the 104th Infantry Division and returned to the mainland . Cook was promoted to Major General and reported with the divisional cadre to Camp Adair , Oregon , in August 1942 . The division was activated in December 1942 . He conducted the training of this division through its Army maneuver series . In October 1943 , he was appointed Commanding General , XII Corps at Fort Jackson , South Carolina , and conducted its training in the Tennessee maneuver area and Camp Forrest , Tennessee . He accompanied the Corps Headquarters in its move to England , where the corps was assigned to the Third Army , with Cook serving as Deputy Commander of 3rd Army ( 1943 – 44 ) . He was in the Normandy and Northern France campaigns , and received the Distinguished Service Medal , Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre for his services . He was cited for the Distinguished Service Medal due to the capture of Châteaudun and Orléans . His role as a field commander was cut short in August 1944 , shortly after the Third Army ' s breakout in France , when he was hospitalized for illness due to circulation problems in his legs . As one of General Patton ' s biographers later wrote , " to have to deprive ( Cook ) of his command at the very climax of his career shook Patton to the core , realising as he did the mortal blow he was delivering to his old friend . " It prompted Patton to request General Dwight D . Eisenhower to award Cook the Distinguished Service Medal . Cook returned to the states for recuperation and less strenuous duty . Between 1944 and 1949 he was involved in a number of boards , groups , and studies . He was a member of the Army ’ s Equipment Review Board in 1945 . He was a member of the Chief of Staff ’ s Advisory Group ( 1946 – 1948 ) , the Army Ground Force Postwar Planning Group , and the Haislip Review Board which studied such subjects as military organization , mobilization , universal military training , and training . Cook was called out of retirement to critique major war games in 1948 and 1955 . Cook died in La Jolla , California , in 1963 , and is buried alongside his wife , Doris , in Arlington National Cemetery .