Preston Cole

"It's been my experience that mankind prefers its heroes dead, their memories locked away somewhere where they'll never fail to be the gods people need them to be. Admiral Preston Jeremiah Cole? He's long dead. But plain old Preston, I'd say he's still kicking around. Might have a bit of good to do yet still, if I do say so myself."

- Preston Cole

Preston Cole was a distinguished admiral who served during the  and. One of the most celebrated war heroes in human history, Cole's brilliant leadership was instrumental to the UNSC's victories during the early stages of the war; the tactics and policies he developed continued to guide human military doctrine long after he was presumed killed during the. Though Cole was officially declared dead, the had reason to doubt his demise and following the end of the war made several efforts to find the lost war hero.