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General John Adams Wickham is the recipient of the American Inspirations Award for the month of June, 2002. This award is given monthly to someone who publicly demonstrates faith in God in a way that inspires others and encourages prayer for our nation. This American hero has relied on prayer throughout his life, as he lead his troops and in his time of greatest need. His 37-year military career was marked by great success, and he retired as a four-star general. He is a personal friend and mentor to Secretary of State Colin Powell. General Wickham typifies the values and faith that built and maintained America as a great nation. He is a role model for all Americans to follow, both in his patriotism and in his reliance on prayer.
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After graduation from West Point in 1950 General Wickham commanded an infantry company in Berlin, an airmobile battalion in Vietnam, a mechanized brigade in Germany, the 101st Airborne Division, and Eighth US Army in Korea. Staff experience included executive to Army Chief of Staff Gen. Harold Johnson; Deputy Chief of Staff of MACV in Vietnam; senior assistant to Secretaries of Defense Schlesinger and Rumsfeld; and Director of the Joint Staff. His overseas service includes two tours in Germany, two in Korea, and two in Vietnam where he suffered life-threatening wounds, almost ending his career. |
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Negotiating with North Vietnamese and Viet Cong
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leaders on POW release. Saigon, 1973
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In 1983, President Reagan appointed General Wickham as 30th Chief of Staff of the United States Army. He concurrently served as the Army member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As Army Chief, he managed over $70 billion of annual programs and led two million soldiers and civilian employees. In every command he served, the general's tenure was marked by a distinctive concern for the quality of life of those soldiers who served under him. He placed a high value on families, seeking to improve the services provided for enlisted men and officers alike. In his mentoring of other officers, from Colin Powell to other generals to foot soldiers, General Wickham stressed the strong values and a biblical integrity that have marked his career from its beginning. |
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 Dinner with Chinese Army Chief of Staff. China, 1986 |
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General Wickham also kept an eye on the efficiency and modernization of the Army focusing on advanced technology and information systems. Thirty-five initiatives came from his direct efforts. Four of them led to cost avoidance of over $1 billion. Wickham holds two masters degrees from Harvard University, earned before teaching economics and international relations in the Department of Social Sciences at West Point from 1956-60. |
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His US decorations include eight Distinguished Service Medals (four Defense, two Army, Navy, Air Force), two Silver Stars for valor, four Legions of Merit, 11 Air Medals, Bronze Star for Valor, and Purple Heart. He holds 21 foreign decorations, including Republic of Korea's highest award. |
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Walking along patrol lane and talking with
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South Korean Army Soldiers. Korea, 1980
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Married in 1954, John and Ann have two sons and a daughter, and four grandchildren. General Wickham retired in 1987 after 37 years including eight as a four star general. He has remained active in a number of charitable and religious pursuits. John and Ann live in Tucson, Arizona. In 2000 his book Korea on the Brink, based on risk of war in Korea, was published in the US and in Korea. |
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It is with great joy and humility that The Presidential Prayer Team adds the first American Inspirations Award to General Wickham's long list of awards and achievements.
The following is a dramatic account that portrays General Wickham's reliance on prayer, in the faith-defining moment when he sustained nearly fatal injuries in Vietnam. |
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"One of the most critical periods in my life was when I commanded a battalion in Vietnam in 1967. A North Vietnamese battalion attempted to overrun my firebase which consisted of an artillery battery and one rifle company plus a small tactical headquarters--about 250 soldiers. Enemy sappers infiltrated the firebase shortly after midnight.
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 Saigon, 1966: Wickham, second from left |
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They were intent on killing all leaders in preparation for a major assault on the perimeter of the firebase. I was lying on a cot in my tent when a grenade or rocket exploded next to me, filling my left side with many fragments, and bursting eardrums. My operations officer, Major Moore, was killed instantly next to me. I rolled out of the tent into a shallow foxhole. |
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Suddenly I noticed movement and an AK-47 automatic rifle was thrust into the foxhole and three bursts were fired point blank. Terrified, I concluded that my battalion had been overrun and that my wounds were so severe that death was near. I quickly whispered the Lord's prayer, and asked God not to save my life, but just to take care of my family, and to give me enough strength enough to save my battalion through the night. |
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Suddenly, I felt no pain or any more terror though I could hear North Vietnamese moving and shooting. A medic crawled to my foxhole and I sent him away to take care of other wounded first--he did so because he felt I was dying. I asked him to get me a radio and he did. I used the radio to call artillery fire which I had previously planned. This fire continued throughout the night all around the perimeter, preventing any effort to overrun our base. |
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Brigade Change of Command.
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Schweinfurt, Germany, 1968
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In about three hours dawn broke and medivac helicopters arrived amid small arms fire from North Vietnamese. I was dragged out of my foxhole and evacuated to the brigade aide station where doctors concluded that my wounds were life threatening--a Catholic chaplain gave me last rites. Eventually I was evacuated to Walter Reed Army hospital in Washington, DC where doctors told me my career probably was over. But they were wrong, and I did recover and go on to a successful career eventually being appointed by President Reagan as the 30th Chief of Staff of the US Army. You see, prayers are answered and I was given another chance to serve and witness." --General John Wickham, Jr. |
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 General John Adams Wickham, Jr.
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