Donald Elmer Hickok was born on 9 September 1925, near Prospect, Ohio. His parents are Frank W. & Ethel F. (Warren) Hickok. Donald E. Hickok was a Prospect High School graduate, Class of 1943. Hickok worked in farming prior to his enlistment. Hickok married Miriam (Yountz) of Canton. She had been a music teacher in the Prospect Schools. They were married on 11 July 1944, while Donald was home on leave for short of two weeks. His new wife was employed in Washington, D. C. with the U. S. Signal Corps service.

Donald E. Hickok entered service 3 February 1944, at Fort Thomas Newport, Kentucky. He attended training at Miami Beach, Florida; and gunners school in Laredo, Texas. He was serving as a gunner on a B-24 “Liberator.” He held the rank of Private First Class (PFC). He was serving with the 421st Base Unit, Squadron T, from Muroc Army Airfield (now Edwards Air Force Base), California.

After his leave and marriage in July of 1944, PFC Hickok returned to training in California. On 1 August 1944, while on gunnery and formation training, two B-24 Bombers collided. The B-24 that PFC Hickok was on board was B-24D Liberator #42-72862, piloted by Lt. Samuel B Johnson. The other aircraft was B-24J #42-78522, piloted by Lt. Ernest J. Chapman. The two bombers collided with each other at an altitude of 20,000 feet over Death Valley. The B-24J disintegrated in mid-air blowing the top turret canopy away from the aircraft, and the gunner was able to parachute and landed safely with only minor injuries. Both aircraft fell to earth, crashing west of Furnace Creek, killing seventeen airmen, including PFC Donald E. Hickok.

In 2008, Bruce and Judy Beal visited Death Valley National Park and photographed some of the wreckage still on the ground.

PFC Donald E. Hickok died in service on 1 August 1944 with his crew mates.
PFC Donald E. Hickok is buried in Claibourne Cemetery, Richwood, Union County, Ohio.
Donald E. Hickok is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War Two Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.

The airmen killed aboard Lt. Chapman’s aircraft:

2nd Lt. William F Johansen, co-pilot
Flt. Off. Eugene E Hechtman, Navigator
Flt. Off. John H Tilson, Bombadier
Cpl. Louis Bartlett, gunner
Cpl. Arlington S Leininger, engineer
Cpl. Richard A Lira, radio operator
PFC Donald C Becker, gunner
PFC Ted W Srygley, gunner

The airmen killed aboard Lt. Phillip’s aircraft:

2nd Lt. Samuel B Johnson, pilot
Cpl. Carroll B Ball, gunner
Cpl. Edgar A Peloquin, engineer
Cpl. Kenneth D Towns, radio operator
PFC Ellis B Crowley, gunner
PFC Donald E Hickok, gunner
PFC Robert T Thomas, engineer