CURRAN RECOGNIZES LOCAL VETERAN FROM CEDARHURST WITH VETERANS' HALL OF HONOR CEREMONY

Assemblyman Brian Curran (Lynbrook-21st AD) recently recognized and honored 16 local veterans at his annual Veterans’ Hall of Honor event at the St. Mary’s/Maris Stella Council #2228 Knights of Columbus in Lynbrook. This year’s honoree from Cedarhurst was Kempton Hicks (center, pictured with Honorable C. Willam Gaylor (left) and Assemblyman Brian Curran (right)). Family members and friends of the honorees were invited to celebrate in the recognition. Thanking the veterans for their service and patriotism to their country and community, Curran presented each honoree with an official New York State Assembly Proclamation.

“This is always a special event that gives our community the opportunity to celebrate and honor the brave men and women, like Mr. Hicks, who sacrificed so much to ensure our freedoms and our way of life,” said Curran. “We owe everything that we enjoy today to those who are called to serve their country and each of our veterans deserves our gratitude and respect. This recognition is but a small token of appreciation for everything that they have achieved for this great nation and its citizens.”

Kempton Hicks was born enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school in 1948 and served for four years. At the start of the Korean War, as part of the 1st Marine Division, he was sent to Korea and participated in the assault and seizure of Inchon in 1950. During this battle, U.S. Marines made a surprise amphibious landing at the strategic port of Inchon, on the west coast of Korea, about 100 miles south of the 38th parallel and 25 miles from Seoul. It was regarded as a risky move but the landing at Inchon changed the course of the war (however, the conflict later settled into a stalemate that did not end until the July 1953 armistice). From Inchon, Kempton and his unit moved on to eventually capture Seoul.

He also participated in the Wonsan and Hungnam/Chosin campaigns in Northern Korea and took part in the operation against enemy forces in South-Central Korea. In Wonsan, the United States Navy successfully blockaded the strategic port city of Wonsan so that the North Korean Navy could not use it. In Hungnam/Chosin, United Nations forces (mainly led by the United States) became surrounded and outnumbered at Chosin Reservoir, when the People’s Republic of China entered the conflict. In freezing temperatures, U.N. forces were able to break through Chinese lines (inflicting crippling loses to the Chinese) and successfully evacuate to Hungnam port – this was another turning point in the Korean conflict. Those who participated in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir were dubbed with the nickname “The Chosin Few.”

After returning to the United States in 1951, Kempton was assigned to serve as a Marine Recruiter. He was discharged in September 1952 with the rank of Staff Sergeant. On November 2, 1952, Kempton married the love of his life, Barbara, an R.N. They will be married 63 years on their up-coming anniversary. They have three wonderful children and are blessed with eight grandchildren.

After his discharge, Kempton attended Adelphi University for eight years at night and received a BBA degree in Accounting. He became a CPA and practiced accounting for 40 years before retiring. Kempton is a member of the Marine Corps League (MCL), the Chosin Few, Korean War Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and the American Legion. He is still active in the Western Long Island Detachment of the MCL. Kempton has also been very active in his church, St. Paul’s U.M. in Inwood, for the past 50 years.

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