Corporal, U.S. Army
Service Number 14298511
Died while Prisoner of War
Died December 23, 1950 in Korea

Madisonville Democrat, Thursday, February 11, 1954, Page 1:
“Madisonville Boy Dies In Prison Camp—Mr. & Mrs. L.O. Hicks of Madisonville Route 3 received notification this week from the War Department that their son, Cpl. Chester S. Hicks, had died of malnutrition in a North Korean prison camp, Dec. 23, 1950.

Corporal Hicks, who was on occupation duty in Japan at the time of the Korean outbreak, was a member of the 24th Division Artillery, the first American outfit to be sent to Korea. He had been missing in action since July 14, 1950, and no information as to his whereabouts had been received until this week.

Mr. Hicks attended Madisonville High School and was a member of Christianburg Baptist Church. Survivors, besides his parents, are two brothers, James O. and Gene L. Hicks, and one sister, Mrs. Curtis Barnard.”
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Pvt. Chester Sims Hicks, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Hicks of Madisonville, Route One, has been reported as the first casualty from Monroe County in the Korean War.

The parents of the 20-year old Monroe County soldier received word that their son had been “missing in action” since July 14. The message was received July 21. At the time of his disappearance the American forces were engaged in battle along the Kum River.

Pvt. Hicks was serving in an artillery unit. He had been in the army for two years. The last year had been spent in Tokyo from where he was transferred when the Korean War started. Before entering the service he attended Madisonville High School.

One of Pvt. Hick’s brothers, Gene now living in Madisonville, served in armed forces in WWII. He was wounded and decorated with the Purple Heart. His other brother, James, is also living in Madisonville. A sister, Mrs. Curtis Bernard, resides in Chattanooga.
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Corporal Hicks was a member of Headquarters Battery, 63rd Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy along the Kum River, South Korea on July 14, 1950, forced to march to North Korea on the “Tiger Death March”, and died while a prisoner at Hanjang-ni, North Korea on December 23, 1950. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. Corporal Hicks was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

Memorialized at Honolulu and Sunset Cemetery Madisonville.

  • Rank: Corporal
  • Date of birth:
  • 10 October 1929
  • Date of death: 23 December 1950
  • County: Monroe
  • Hometown: Madisonville
  • Service Branch: Army
  • Division/Assignment: 53rd Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Division
  • Conflict: Korean War
  • Awards: Prisoner of War Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, and Republic of Korea War Service Medal
  • Burial/Memorial Location: Honolulu National Memorial, Hawaii
  • Location In Memorial: Pillar XXI, Middle Panel
  • Contact us to sponsor Chester S. Hicks

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