Spencer Waddy Cook was born on 21 June 1910 in Santa Fe, Maury County, Tennessee. He was the son of Max M. Cook and Minnie Mai Waddey Cook. Spencer was educated at Santa Fe High School and Branham Hughes M.A. at Spring Hill, Tennessee.

Before entering the service, he was an order clerk at Sherwin Allen Paint Company in Nashville then was an electrician at Du Pont Cellophane Plant in Tennessee, and between 1936 and 1941, he served as a paymaster and Bank teller. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He took a Pilot-Observer Course between 16 December 1941 and 7 March 1942. In 1942, he had his initial training at Belleville, Ontario, followed by elementary training at St. Eugene, Ontario, and Service Flying training at Uplands, Ontario. He received his wings on 16 April 1943.

The aircraft in which he was the pilot and Captain, took off on an operational sortie over enemy territory on the night of 21st/22nd June, 1944, but failed to return to base.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.fieldsofhonor-database.com