Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame
SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR - HEART OF A PATRIOT
Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame
SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR - HEART OF A PATRIOT
WELCOME FROM PRESIDENT SHILES
WELCOME
A 2017 Oklahoma Hall of Fame honoree, SP5 Dwight Birdwell, received two Silvers Stars in Vietnam. One of his Silver Stars was recently upgraded to the Medal of Honor. He and three others received the Medal of Honor at a White House ceremony on July 5, 2022. Dwight was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame in 2017 and will be honored again this year.
We are pleased to welcome all visitors to the Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation website. There are 222 other individual Oklahoma heroes, and 8 units/organizations, who live with SP5 Birdwell in our Hall of Fame.
This is your opportunity to share and appreciate the distinctive and gallant military history of our great state.
OKLAHOMA MILITARY HERITAGE
From statehood through the World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars, and the War on Terrorism, Oklahoma’s servicemen and servicewomen have played, and continue to play, a major role in the defense of our Nation.
Since statehood, 476,000 Oklahomans have served in America’s armed forces in combat with over 9,890 killed or missing in action, over 1,500 POWs, and over 21,100 wounded. Currently, according to the Veterans Administration, there are over 305,000 living veterans who call Oklahoma home.
OUR AWARDS
The awards themselves are professionally rendered, including a detailed image of our logo in a ribbon-suspended bronze medal; a matted and framed citation adorned with beaded and leathered warrior feather; and a framed freehand pencil portrait of each honoree by one of our very own talented artists.
THE DOLLAR SERVICE AWARD
OKMHF also annually honors an individual or organization for outstanding public service activities extending beyond their military service. The “MG Douglas O. Dollar Distinguished Public Service Award” is named for the founder and first president of the OKMHF. Details are at the Nomination Tab.
Colonel Jerry Shiles, US Army (Retired)
President, Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame
Click over photo for a six minute video interview with Dwight Birdwell in 2017.