Our Arklahoma Heritage: Major General Sidney Michael "Mickey" Marks was a decorated veteran in three wars
- Dennis McCaslin
- Jan 15
- 3 min read
Major General Sidney Michael "Mickey" Marks (January 8, 1919 – March 23, 1995) was a U.S. Army officer born in Keota who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He earned the Combat Infantryman Badge with two stars, an honor given to only 324 Army soldiers for combat service in all three conflicts.
Marks was born in Keota, Haskell County, to Sidney Z. Marks, a Jewish immigrant from Lithuania who served in World War I, and Pearl J. Marks.
After his father became a permanent patient at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Little Rock Marks and his siblings were raised at the American Legion Children's Home (now Marland Children's Home) in Ponca City.
He graduated from Ponca City High School in 1938 and attended Oklahoma A&M College (now Oklahoma State University). There, he wrestled in the 128-pound class, placed second at the 1942 NCAA Championships, earned All-American honors, and helped the team win the national title.
He received a B.S. in military science in 1942.
Commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry in December 1942 after Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, Marks attended parachute school and joined the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
He served as a rifle platoon leader, company executive officer, and company commander in
the European Theater, participating in campaigns including Rome-Arno, Southern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace (Battle of the Bulge), and Central Europe. He earned the Soldier's Medal for non-combat heroism, along with other awards.
After World War II, he returned to Fort Bragg with the 517th. In July 1950, he deployed to Korea with the 34th Infantry Regiment as a company commander and regimental S-3, fighting in six campaigns. For gallantry near Songju on September 24, 1950, he received the Silver Star.
He also earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and additional decorations.
Post-Korea, Marks attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in 1953 and served as an instructor at the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base.
He completed his B.S. from Oklahoma State in 1957 and graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College in 1958. From 1960 to 1962, he commanded the 1st Airborne Battle Group, 504th Infantry Regiment, in Germany.
He then attended the U.S. Army War College.
In Vietnam from July 1966 to 1967, he commanded the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, in the Third Corps Tactical Zone, including operations like Junction City. He received the Legion of Merit with multiple clusters, Air Medal with clusters, and Vietnamese awards
.Promoted to Major General in 1971, he served as Chief of Staff for First U.S. Army at Fort Meade, directed the Advanced Attack Helicopter Task Force in 1972, commanded U.S. Army Alaska in 1973, and was Deputy Commanding General of the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg starting in 1975
.His decorations include the Silver Star with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with five oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star with Valor device and clusters, Air Medal with 26 clusters, Purple Heart, Soldier's Medal, and others, plus unit citations and foreign honors
.Marks married Sybil Combs on June 6, 1946. They had three children: Steven Michael, Sharon Lynne, and Sally Kim. After retirement, he lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
He died of cancer, believed related to Agent Orange exposure, on March 23, 1995, at age 76 in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
