WELCOME TO OUR FOUNDATION

Welcome to our Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation.  We sponsor the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame, a companion Oklahoma Military Hall of Honor, and the Oklahoma Honors Campaign. 

Our Foundation was established in 1999. We celebrated our Silver Anniversary last year and  are now moving forward to 25 more years of expansion and statewide service while building upon our past 25 years of growth and maturity. 

Our mission is to appreciate and share the distinctive and gallant military history of our great state. From statehood through the World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, and the Global War on Terrorism in which Oklahoma’s servicemen and servicewomen have played, and continue to play, a major role in the defense of our Nation.

There are many ways for you to participate with us: 

• become an Ambassador and help spread the word
• serve us on our committees and in Hall of Honor Chapters
• prepare Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor nominations for deserving veterans
• help us financially so we can enable our volunteers to continue the work of the organization

We cannot honor deserving veterans unless someone nominates them!

The ethos of our Foundation is represented by Admiral Joseph James "Jocko" Clark, Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame Class 2023. He embodies our motto, "Spirit of a Warrior, Heart of a Patriot."  He was born to Cherokee parents in Indian Territory, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, and fought in three wars. His WWII nickname was "The Patton of the Pacific."  In the Korean War, he developed a unique tactical application of naval airpower he named "Cherokee Strikes." ADM Clark was awarded the Navy Cross in WWII, is a member of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, and was formally honored at the State Capitol by the Oklahoma State Senate.

If you like what we do, consider joining and/or supporting our team of the future.

Colonel Kelly Zachgo, US Army (Retired)
President, Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation

The Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation (OKMHF), sponsor of the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame, was founded in 1999 by Major General Douglas O. Dollar, USA (retired). 

OKMHF is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization having the purpose of honoring those Oklahomans, living or deceased, who serve or have served in the military with records of extraordinary service and/or sacrifice to our nation. The induction is held annually in celebration of Veterans Day. 

HONOREE SELECTION

Each year the Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation reviews many nominations submitted from across the country and selects ten Oklahomans for induction into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame (OKMHF), as well as two for the special honor of their exemplary support of Veterans. The criteria are described at our Nomination Tab.

A HISTORY CENTER PARTNERSHIP

In 2012 the Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation formed an important partnership with the Oklahoma History Center which has graciously provided a base of operations for OKMHF. The military exhibit at the History Center features all inductees into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame displayed on an interactive electronic screen that tells each of their extraordinary stories. Recognition from government officials/dignitaries and the press is also permanently recorded and displayed for public perusal.

This website provides necessary information about OKMHF, how to participate, nomination forms, donations/tributes, membership, event details, etc. We are on Facebook for posts or messages, or email us at info@okmhf.org. 

• The Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame was established in 1999 as the first program of its kind in the United States focused solely upon honoring Veterans and educating the state's youth about service to our country.

• The Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation is a  statewide military organization that receives no public funds and relies solely upon donations, volunteer leadership, and service.

• Our Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation is the only such organization in the country that establishes community chapters statewide to recognize more Veterans with the Hall of Honor Award.

• Our Hall of Fame banquet is the largest Veteran recognition event in Oklahoma every year.

• Our Oklahoma Honors Campaign is the only program in Oklahoma  that encourages the state's youth to interview Veterans and record their stories.

• We partner with the Oklahoma CareerTech System to produce the  Oklahoma Veterans Film Competition. The OVFC  annually produces quality film productions honoring individual Veterans.

 OKLAHOMA MILITARY HALL OF FAME

476,000 - Since statehood, more than 476,000 Oklahomans have served in America’s armed forces in combat with more than 9,890 killed or missing in action,  1,500 POWs, and 21,100 wounded.   

305,000 - There are more than 305,000 living Veterans who call Oklahoma home (Veterans Administration).

247 - From 1999-2024, 247 individual Oklahoma heroes, and 9 units and organizations,  have been inducted into our Hall of Fame.  There are 171 individual officers, 73 enlisted men, and 2 civilians. Honorees  from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force are represented. They also include 2 NASA pilots, a Frontiersman, and 2 Army Nurse Corps veterans. 

36  - Hall of Fame honorees  are recipients of the Medal of Honor; 32 men received 34 Distinguished Service Crosses and 20 are recipients of the Major General Douglas O. Dollar Distinguished Public Service Award.   

9 - Units/organization/ groups that have been recognized including the 10th US Cavalry Regiment "Buffalo Soldiers" (2002); the Oklahoma Military Academy in Claremore (2005); ROTC Centennial (2016); the Oklahoma National Guard (2017);  the USS Oklahoma BB-37 (2019), the Oklahoma Army Rangers of WWII (2024), and the tribes listed below. 

3 - American Indian Tribes have been recognized as individual service members. Groups include 14 Comanche Code Talkers (2011); 23 Choctaw Code Talkers (2012); and 9 Pawnee Code Talkers (2015) for their service during World War I and II.

OKLAHOMA MILITARY HALL OF HONOR

The Hall of Honor was established in May 2023 and  is honoring individual Veterans monthly. We have honored almost 100 Veterans since mid-2023.