Sponsored by:

Navy Federal Credit Union
Vincent
Joseph
Hickman
MIA (RVN) KIA
March 20, 1933

–

January 14, 1964

Cemetery:

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Courts of the Missing)

Vincent Hickman served for three years in the New York Air National Guard before entering active duty in the U.S. Air Force, obtaining his commission through the ROTC Program at Fordham, University. During the Vietnam War, both Captain Hickman and his pilot, Major Carl Mitchell, was also posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross for this mission. Because at the time of their action and loss in Southeast Asia, there was not a formal declaration of war by Congress, Mitchell and Hickman were listed by the Defense Department as non-combat deaths. At the time, Air Force personnel in Vietnam were there in the role of advisors and, as such, a Vietnamese observer was with them on this mission and was also lost in action. The remains of neither American airman has been recovered.

Awards Received

  • Air Force Cross

    Service:

    United States Air Force

    Rank:

    Captain

    Batallion:

    1st Air Commando Squadron

    Regiment:

    34th Tactical Group

    Division:

    Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam

    Action Date:

    January 14, 1964

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pride in presenting the Air Force Cross (Posthumously) to Captain Vincent Joseph Hickman (AFSN: 0-58450), United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as an Advisor-Navigator of a B-26B Douglas Invader Bomber in the 1st Air Commando Squadron, 34th Tactical Group, Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, in action on 14 January 1964. On that date, Captain Hickman voluntarily exposed himself during low level flights over hidden Viet Cong machine gun installations. Despite heavy machine gun fire, which repeatedly struck the aircraft, Captain Hickman aggressively continued his efforts to locate and destroy machine gun installations until the badly damaged aircraft crashed and burned. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, Captain Hickman reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.