Author Searching For Glenview Family Of World War II Soldier

GLENVIEW, IL — Patch is calling on all Glenview residents for a little help. John Heideman, an author from the Netherlands, is writing a book about his hometown, Castricum, during World War II. Heideman is seeking more information on Robert C. Cooke, of Chicago, who died in the war and has family in the Glenview area, according to the Dutch author.

Heideman is writing the third part of his book about Castricum, a village near the west coast of the Netherlands, and its role in World War II. According to Heideman, during five years of occupation by German forces, 60 bodies of mostly allied airmen washed upon the shore of Castricum. Six of them were members of the United States Army Air Forces, including Cooke.

On Dec. 6, 1944, Cooke crashed his B-17 Flying Fortress into the North Sea. The B-17, named "The Last Roundup," was on its way back from a strategic bomb mission over Germany. It was hit by a German Flak over the target and was escorted back home by some U.S. fighter planes, according to Heideman.

When it entered the coast and wanted to cross the North Sea to fly back to England, the bomber was hit again by a German Flak from the heavily defended port of Ymuiden, which at the time was a German Marine base. A wing broke off and the plane crashed into the sea. There were no survivors, as the nine crew members died.

"The body of Robert Cooke washed upon the shore of Castricum and was buried in the local cemetery of Castricum," Heideman said. "Later, after the war, the remains of Robert were repatriated to the United States. And now he rests, as far as I know, in Illinois."

Heideman said that while doing research on the missing aircrew report, he discovered that Cooke's wife, Phyllis, had lived in Glenview. She had remarried Robert Sannem and the pair had two daughters, Patricia and Wendy.

The author is hoping to make contact with Cooke's family, and include a photograph and any other biographical information in his book.

"Robert C. Cooke will never be forgotten in Holland," Heideman said. "He gave his young life for our freedom today."

If you have any information on Robert C. Cooke and would like to share it with Heideman, please send it to eric.degrechie@patch.com.