History of Cook‑Erickson VFW Post 7952

Cook‑Erickson VFW Post 7952 was founded on July 21, 1946, by 87 World War II veterans. These men returned to the rapid growing community of Richland, Washington. Many of these veterans had served in the most difficult campaigns of Europe and the Pacific. When they came home, they sought to build a place where service members could find camaraderie, support, and a shared sense of purpose. Their vision created a Post that would stand as a pillar of the community for generations.

The founding members chose to name the Post in honor of two local servicemen—Seaman Kenneth Cook and Flight Officer Carl John Erickson—whose wartime sacrifices were deeply felt across the Richland area. Though their stories predate modern digital records, their names were selected with intention and reverence, ensuring that the community would never forget the young men it had lost.

For nearly eight decades, Post 7952 has remained a cornerstone of the Uptown district. Through veteran advocacy, community service, youth programs, memorial ceremonies, and countless events, the Post continues to uphold the mission established in 1946: service, remembrance, and camaraderie.

The Story of Cook & Erickson: Why the Post Bears Their Names

VFW Post 7952 carries the names Cook and Erickson to honor two young men from the Richland area whose lives were claimed in the early years of World War II. Though they served in different branches and on opposite sides of the world, their stories share the same themes of courage, duty, and sacrifice.

Flight Officer Carl John Erickson – U.S. Army Air Forces

Carl John Erickson grew up in Benton County and graduated from Washington State College before joining the Army Air Corps in 1941. He trained as a glider pilot, one of the most dangerous roles in the U.S. Army Air Forces, and served with the 313th Troop Carrier Group in the Mediterranean theater.

On October 12, 1943, during a mission over the Mediterranean Sea, Erickson’s CG‑4A glider became separated from its tow plane in severe weather and disappeared into cloud cover. Despite extensive search efforts, no trace of the aircraft or its crew was ever found. He was listed as Missing in Action and later declared deceased. His name is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the North Africa American Cemetery.

Seaman Kenneth Cook – United States Navy

Kenneth Cook enlisted in the U.S. Navy on November 1, 1940, as the nation prepared for a war that had not yet reached its shores. He was assigned to the newly commissioned destroyer USS DeHaven (DD‑469), which deployed to the Solomon Islands during the fierce fighting for Guadalcanal.

On February 1–2, 1943, DeHaven was escorting landing craft when it came under heavy Japanese air attack. The ship shot down several attackers before being struck by multiple bombs and sinking rapidly in Iron bottom Sound. Cook was among those lost at sea, listed as Missing in Action.