James J. Cooke

James J. Cooke was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1939 and graduated from Brooklyn Park High in 1957. After military service he attended Mississippi College, graduating with a BA and MA. He received his PhD in history from the University of Georgia in 1969.In 1969 he joined the history faculty of the University of Mississippi and retired with the rank of Professor of History in 1999. Maintaining his interest in military affairs Cooke joined the Mississippi National Guard in 1971. During Desert Shield/Desert Storm he was assigned to the XVIII Airborne Corps and became the corps' liaison officer to the French Light Tank Division for combat operations. For his service he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. His time in the Gulf War resulted in the publication of his war memoirs 100 Miles From Baghdad. Cooke's most recent book is: Chewing Gum, Candy Bars and Beer: The Army PX in World War II (University of Missouri Press, 2009) The author of several books in military history Cooke lives in Oxford, Mississippi.