Oliver J Hickok

Oliver Hickok first enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in June of 1956 at the age of 17, eventually being stationed in Japan and then Hawaii, before finishing his time in Alabama.

In December 1960, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and attended boot camp at Paris Island. From there, he was assigned to Memphis, Tennessee, and then the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina, before going on to Okinawa, Japan, and his first tour in Vietnam as part of Operation SHUFLY. After finishing his first tour in Vietnam, Hickok returned to the U.S. and completed several schooling opportunities including the Defense Language Institution and the Army POW Interrogation-Translation School at Fort Holabird, Maryland, before being redeployed to Vietnam with the 7th ITT.

After previously being wounded on January 26, 1968, Hickok was hit three times – in the left shoulder, back and knee – during an attack February 2, 1968 during the Tet Offensive. Hickok was medivaced out to Da Nang, and then to Japan before returning home four months later. He was subsequently assigned to recruiter school at Paris Island, South Carolina, and upon completing the training was then assigned to Recruiting Station Albany, New York, and then worked at Recruiting Station Kingston for two years before being honorably discharged and retiring.

Along with his two Purple Hearts, SSG Hickok was awarded numerous medals and commendations throughout his career, including the Good Conduct Medal, the Vietnamese Service Medal with four stars, Vietnamese Campaign Medal with Device, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Combat Action Ribbon and more. Hickok is a life member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), and the America Legion. He also held various leadership roles in the Boy Scouts of America.

Oliver Hickok was New York’s honoree during the 2021 Purple Heart Patriot Project Mission.