Footlocker of THE Julian A. Cook??

[vintage.vendeuse]

I picked this up from a thrift store just because I thought my son would like to store his stuff in it. After I got it home, I decided to research the name on the trunk... and of course came up with the man portrayed by Robert Redford in "A Bridge Too Far".
On the front it states he is a Lt. but on the side the painting states 2nd Lt. Wikipedia says Cook graduated from West Point as a 2nd Lt in 1940. The trunk has an emblem which states: 1949 Doehler Metal Products Corp New York. On another militaria forum, a member states his opinion the the 1949 does not necessarily indicate a year.
Is this just a fabulously realistic reenactor's trunk? (Though I don't see why a reenactor would mark Cook as 2nd Lt rather than Major, which is what his rank was during Operation Market Garden.)
My son has postulated that the blue tag taped to the bottom of the trunk may be an auction lot number.
Also, across the top of the lid is some writing that I can't make out... it looks like three words and the third work looks like "OFFICE" or possibly "OFFICER". I've taken a separate photo of each word.

Thanks so much!

 

[vintage.vendeuse]

more photos:

 

[DanO]

Cooks service number was 0-23290

 

[vintage.vendeuse]

Cooks service number was 0-23290

Yes, thank you, but from what I have been reading the numbers on the trunks aren't the mens' service numbers.

 

[Harp]

The 0189...serial # after the name is probably valid. Seems authentic to this ex-GI.
Rank promotion would not necessarily involve a stencil update.

 

[vintage.vendeuse]

Thanks, it seems I misunderstood some info I read elsewhere and the large printed number under the name IS likely the serial number as you both say . There are often quite a few other numbers on footlockers and trunks that are not the serial number of course, I guess that's what caused my confusion.
Anyway, the excitement bubble has burst, lol, because I now believe the trunk belonged to Julian Abele Cook Jr. He was originally from the Washington DC area, which explains the address on the trunk, and ended up in the Detroit area, which is where it was found. He graduated from University and went into the Army from 1952 to 1954. Cook eventually became a US district judge.
Well no matter who the trunk belonged to, my son loves it!

 

[DanO]

That is what is important some one who appreciates history and vintage items.

 

[Trotsky]

Yep, you can make out "II" on the trunk after his name. It' s his boy. Cool piece.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Wow. What an incredibly cool find.

 

[_RAGNAR_]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Abele_Cook_Jr.

as your trunk say JR.

and yes its a 1949 trunk. Julian Cook was a COL by then

 

[filfoster]

Still a nice trunk and a nice back story. Once again proves this forum attracts a lot of helpful folks.