Arthur Wilcox Buswell

Colonel Arthur Wilcox Buswell was born on 6 January 1926 in Oklahoma City and raised in Kingfisher. He graduated from Kingfisher High School in 1944 and immediately enlisted in the US Army. He trained as a medic and deployed to the China-Burma-Indian Theater in late April 1945. SGT Buswell returned to the United States on 30 May 1946 and was discharged on 4 June 1946.

Buswell completed the University of Oklahoma pre-med program and medical school in 1952, pursued additional surgical training, and then maintained a private surgical practice in Hennessey, OK during 1955-1961.

Buswell was recalled to active duty in June 1961 as the Berlin Crisis escalated. He stayed on active duty until his retirement in 1983.

From 1965-1968 he was attached to the First Infantry Division and served in Vietnam at the Division’s Lai Khe Base Camp. Disregarding his own safety, he crawled beneath a collapsing building to rescue the wounded. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for combat heroism.

On his next assignment at the Combat Development Command, (Fort Ord, CA) he received the Soldier’s Medal for non-combat heroism. On 12 December 1968, he was one of several passengers on a U-1A Otter that crashed and began burning. The pilot was initially missing. Without regard for himself, Buswell approached the burning aircraft, found the pilot, and moved him to safety.

Upon retirement, Colonel Buswell settled in Kingfisher, OK. He had a combined 34 years of military service. Additional awards he received include two Legion of Merit medals, a second Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and three Air Medals.

Colonel Buswell became a dedicated lifelong volunteer to his community of Kingfisher and is remembered for serving the military veterans of Kingfisher County, the Kingfisher Library and Chisholm Trail Museum.

Dr. Buswell died 27 December 2016.