Forrest Hicks Obituary

June 13, 1921 - June 5, 2008 Forrest D. Hicks Lt. Col. USAF Ret. Forrest Hicks passed away Thursday morning, June 5, 2008 at home. He was the only child born to Omar and Julia Hicks on June 13, 1921 in Oil Hill, Kansas. Forrest earned his pilot's license in 1938, graduated in 1939 from El Dorado High School and later attended Fairbury Junior College, Nebraska University, and Kansas State University. He was Commissioned through the Army ROTC and joined the Glider Corps. He was called to active duty for WW 11 as an Infantry Officer. He also served as a Pilot and a Civil Engineer. He received several Medals both foreign and domestic. He was granted the WWII Victory Medal and the American Defense Service Medals in 1947. On his European Theater Ribbon he received 7 Bronze Service Stars (S. France, Rome Arno, N. France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe); and the Bronze Arrowhead was granted for flying a glider in at night to Normandy on D-Day, after being deployed with the 434th Troop Carrier Group to Aldenmasten, England as part of the first wave of gliders. He retired from the Air Force Reserves June 13, 1981 after completing an assignment as commander of Flight C, 9627th Air Reserve Squadron out of Rock Island, IL. Forrest married Helen Jerrene Peterson October 7, 1950 and they were married until she preceded him in death May 1999. He was also employed by Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America from 1948-1983 when he retired. He is survived by daughters Cynthia (Tom) Askvig and Carol Hicks both of Colorado Springs and two granddaughters Julia Askvig of Colorado Springs and Jaime Askvig of Greeley. Forrest became an Eagle Scout in 1934 and a member of the Sons of the American Legion Post 81 in El Dorado KS in 1937. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Rochelle IL, Kit Carson Sertoma Club of Colorado Springs, Eisenhower Men's Golf Association, The National WWII Glider Pilots' Association, and a Life Member of The Pikes Peak Chapter of The Retired Officer's Association, and a Yorkwrite Mason. Lt. Col. Hicks was an active volunteer at Peterson AFB and the USAFA Hospital. Contributions can be made to Odyssey Hospice/Health Care of Colorado Springs.