Biographies: Rear Admiral Harold F. Fick, 1959, Winn Parish, LA. Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: June 25, 1959 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American Admiral Harold Fick: Former Winn Resident In Third Career At 60 Photo Caption: Only Winn Product to achieve the rank of Rear Admiral Harold F. Fick, retired, who was in Winnfield this week for the funeral of his mother. Admiral Fick, right, and his brother, Clarence W. Fick, are pictured at Huey P. Long Motor Hotel, which they rated one of the outstanding additions to Winnfield since they left here a number of years ago. Harold F. Fick, graduate of Winnfield High School, has just recently turned 60 years old. He is starting on his third career, law, in a lifetime that has been packed with action and adventure. "And I'm not through yet," says the retired Rear Admiral, who commanded a Naval task force which sank six German submarines in two weeks during World War II. Adm. Fick and his elder brother, Clarence W. Fick, were in Winnfield this week for the funeral of their mother, Mrs. Lillie A. Fick, former longtime resident of Winnfield. Mrs. Fick died at the home of her son, Clarence Fick, in Cleveland, Ohio, at the age of 92, where she had resided for a number of years since leaving Winnfield. Clarence Fick, 68, and Harold Fick, 60, are the eldest and youngest, respectively of four brothers whose family came to Winnfield in 1908 from Missouri. The two brothers between are Curtis, and Everett S. Everett, after who the local American Legion post is named, was killed at Chateau-Thierry in France during World War I. Both are deceased and buried in Winnfield. J. B. Fick, father and husband of the Fick family, came here as a railroad man with the Tremont and Gulf Railway, and was its general manager during its heyday in the era of the timber boom. Later, he joined the Texas and Pacific Railroad in Abilene, Texas, where he stayed until his death. The youngest son, Harold F. Fick, graduated from high school here in 1916, and went that same year to enroll in the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., where he graduated. In Winnfield this week, Adm. Fick said, "I saw some of World War I in the fleet as a Midshipman." Following the War, he got into aviation, "as early as possible, in 1922," and remained in the aviation branch of the Navy throughout his 30 year career. At the beginning of World War II, Adm. Fick was superintendent of the then new training center at Corpus Christi, Texas, Naval Air Station. In 1943, Adm. Fick went to sea as commander of an anti-submarine task force composed of a carrier and three destroyers, in the Battle of the Atlantic. The task force under his command earned a Presidential Citation for sinking six German submarines in a period of two weeks during this campaign. The sub kills were at various points in the Atlantic, Adm. Fick said, mostly off the African coast. The task force protected the huge Naval convoys, up to 120 ships each, which were massing for the Sicilian invasion. Later during the War, Adm. Fick saw duty in Washington as head of the Aviation Plans division, for the Chief of Naval Operations, and as the War ended, he had command of the new large carrier, the Bonhomme Richard, off Japan. Among his decorations are the Legion of Merit for campaigns around New Guinea in the Pacific, the Bronze Star, and several commendation ribbons for combat duty. He retired in 1946 with the rank of Rear Admiral, the only man from Winn Parish ever to achieve this rank in the military service. Begins New Career Following his retirement from the Navy, Adm. Fick became executive vice president of a manufacturing concern in San Diego, Calif. Later, during his 50s, Adm. Fick went back to school for three years to obtain a degree in law, and is now in private business in Coronado, Calif. His interests include real estate and rentals. Enjoys Golf, Gin Rummy Clarence Fick, the elder brother, retired in 1955 after 42 years with General Electric. He was district manager for the Cleveland area for a number of years, and says with a chuckle that he is "just loafing" now. Discussing hobbies, the brothers say they enjoy golf and gin rummy. "I am the western golf champion and he's the eastern gin rummy champion," says Admiral Fick, referring to their skills in the two games, which they play when they get together. Winnfield Has Not Changed Being the family of a railroad man, the Ficks moved often before coming to Winnfield. "When we came here, everything just seemed to fit in better, and Winnfield has always been the family home." the two brothers said this week. They lived at 1602 Center Street, where the J. G. Russell, Sr.'s now live. While commenting about the remarkable growth of Winnfield, Adm. Fick said, "Winnfield hasn't changed materially from the town I knew." The people, he said, are still friendly, and the place is still home.