World War II Honoree

William D. Hicks

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Kendrick, Oklahoma

Honored By

William E. Shaklee

Relationship

Friend

ENTERED ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE US ARMY FEBRUARY 22, 1943. FOLLOWING HIS INDUCTION AT FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA, HE WAS SHIPPED TO FORT HOOD, TEXAS, FOR TRAINING IN TANK DESTROYERS. AFTER THE END OF THE DESERT WARFARE IN NORTH AFRICA THE NEED FOR TANK DESTROYERS WAS DIMINISHED AND HIS UNIT WAS DE-ACTIVATED AND HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO CAMP MAXEY, TEXAS, FOR INFANTRY TRAINING. IN JULY, 1944, HE WAS SENT TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS AS AN INFANTRY REPLACEMENT AND JOINED THE 36TH ARMORED INFANTRY REGIMENT, 3RD ARMORED DIVISION IN SEPTEMBER, 1944. HE WAS FIRST ASSIGNED TO A 60 MILLIMETER MORTAR SQUAD BUT WAS TRANSFERRED TO A RIFLE SQUAD IN ANOTHER COMPANY AS THEY ENTERED THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE BECAME THE LEADER OF THAT SQUAD UNTIL FELLED BY SHRAPNEL FROM A LAND MINE ON MARCH 27, 1945. HE UNDERWENT NUMEROUS SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES AT VARIOUS ARMY HOSPITALS UNTIL THE WAR ENDED.