Thomas Wicker was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in August 1923. Growing up during the Great Depression, money was scarce in his home. His father had to feed and clothe a family of four on 175 dollars a month. Although they struggled, Wicker believed the family to be part of the middle class. His father was a barn foreman at the Arabella streetcar barn [Annotator's Note: Arabella Station on Magazine Street in New Orleans, Louisiana]. Wicker attended Audubon Grammar School and Alcee Fortier High School. While in high school, he was on the debate team and the band. His senior year, the band was national champions and were invited to attend the New York's World's Fair, all expenses paid. One of his band mates was Al Hirt [Annotator's Note: Al Hirt, also known as the "The King", was a famous America Trumpeter and bandleader]. Wicker remembered that his father was well read and talked about the war in Europe frequently.

After graduating from Alcee Fortier high school, New Orleans, Louisiana, Thomas Wicker attended Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana to study law. He also applied for the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). There were over 300 applicants, and he was one of 100 men selected for the program. Wicker recalled that he was well prepared for Tulane because Fortier was such a great high school. While at Tulane, in addition to his law classes, he received basic courses like the ones taught at Annapolis [Annotator’s notes: United States Naval Academy] for ROTC training. Wicker was shocked when he heard about the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was walking across campus on 7 December 1941 when he heard on an intercom, “Attention. Attention. Please be advised the U.S. has been attacked by Japan.” After the attack, his Naval courses increased, and he began receiving firearm training on the weekends. Wicker remembered he was hoping he would not receive orders to serve on an oiler ship or ammunition ship because of the low survival rate.

Thomas Wicker received orders to serve on an oilier, which he was not thrilled about. He graduated from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana in February 1944 and flew to San Francisco. He was then sent out to Pearl Harbor and finally shipped to Majuro in the Marshall Islands where he boarded the USS Lackawanna (AO-40). When he boarded the ship, he was met by many hardend sailors. Most of these men had been at sea for over a year and had not seen a woman in a long time. In fact, when the ship crossed paths with a hospital ship, all the men leaned to that side to check out all the nurses. Wicker's first roles on the Lackawanna was assistant gunnery officer and assistant officer of the deck. He eventually rose to gunnery officer and officer of the deck. While serving on the ship, Wicker became good friends with about five officers. At certain times, life was difficult on the ship because the captain was extremely high strung and nervous. During the battle of Okinawa, the captain tried to commit suicide. After the battle, he was taken off the ship and sent home. Wicker recalled Okinawa as a terrible experience. The Japanese were using Kamikaze planes. The planes would dive down toward the ships and one barely missed the Lackawanna. Wicker explained that their ship was anchored offshore and was ordered to have a smoke screen around the it so it would be impossible for the Japanese to see it. Wicker laid out so much smoke that he couldn't see his own hands in front of his face. At one point the Japanese were trying to crawl up the anchor chains of some of the ships. It was chaotic.

Thomas Wicker recalled the night the USS Mississinewa (AO-59) was hit by a torpedo. A Japanese submarine came into the harbor of Ulithi, some how evading nets. They fired a torpedo and hit the Mississinewa. Wicker recalled gas burning on top of the water and ammunition exploding. The deck of the ship blew 100 feet into the air. He witnessed this about 700 feet away. Wicker's captain ordered no one to go out on rescue boats to help, but one officer disobeyed the order and gathered a group of men and went out to rescue some of the sailors. Many of the men they rescued succumbed to their injuries on the USS Lackawanna (AO-40). The captain refused to honor the boatmen for their bravery, but 50 years later, they received awards for their heroic actions. Wicker recalled going through a typhoon that was especially bad. They had emptied out their gas, ammo and diesel fuel so they could ride high. At one point the ship lost electricity and they were floating dead in the water.

Thomas Wicker recalled the day before the Japanese surrender, they had to fuel the USS Missouri (BB-63). The ship had a music band and sailors marching up and down getting ready for the surrender. Wicker recalled being inspired by the band. His ship was about 50 miles out from the atomic bomb drop. He was elated that the war was over. He was ready to return home and pursue his law degree. Wicker had a leave one time during his service. His mother was dying, and he was given permission to return home to see her. His stay was not long, and he was required to return to the ship and he missed his mother's funeral. To cheer him up, his friend's father got him a date with Miss Disney while they were in California. They started a serious relationship, but he did not want to commit and so the relationship ended with a letter he received on the USS Lackawanna (AO-40). After the war, Wicker returned to Tulane University Law School. He became editor of the Law Review which is a very high honor, and he was in the top ten percent of his class. He was awarded a job as law clerk for a justice in the Louisiana Supreme Court. Wicker enjoyed law school and did not miss wartime.

World War 2 gave Thomas Wicker more experience in dealing with people. His most memorable experience was the torpedoing of the USS Mississinewa (AO-59) [Annotator's Note: at Ulithi Atoll on 20 November 1944]. He believed that it was important for him to fight in World War 2 because our country was attacked, and he loves this country and wouldn't have it any other way. Wicker appreciated the Navy, being alive and surviving the war. He appreciated being alive in this country which allowed him to go to school on the G.I. Bill and gave him a great career. He thinks today's young people do not know much about World War 2, and that's why we need to have museums like The National WWII Museum.