Colonel Cornelius F. McGillicuddy, Jr. graduated 6 March 1953 from Infantry Officer Candidate School Class Number 48. His first assignment was as a Rifle Platoon Leader in F Company, 188th Abn Infantry Regiment at Fort Campbell and subsequently as an Assistant S-3 in the 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, Korea. | He returned stateside to Fort Bragg in 1956 where he took Command of C Company in the 1st Bn, 504th Abn. Later, while still at Fort Bragg, he was selected to be the Aide-de-Camp to the Division Commander of the 82d Abn. He then attended the Infantry Advanced Course and Flight School before returning to Headquarters, 18th Corps,  Fort Bragg, initially as an Operations Officer and later as Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General. In 1963, he attended the Command and General Staff College. He was then assigned to, the G-1 Section of Headquarters, 7th Army. From Germany he was transferred to the 11th Combat Aviation Battalion in Vietnam where he commanded the 128th Assault Helicopter Company. Colonel McGillicuddy returned from Vietnam in 1968 as a Systems Staff Officer in the Office of the Army Chief of Staff for Force Development, Department of the Army. In 1971 he graduated from the US Naval War College and then took command of the 223d Combat Aviation Bn, Vietnam. Upon his return stateside in 1972 he was assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia, and as Deputy Director of the Combat Developments, United States Army Infantry School. | His awards and decorations include Legion of Merit w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster; Distinguished Flying Cross w/3 Oak Leaf Cluster; Bronze Star Medal w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster; Meritorious Service Medal; Air Medal w/2 V Devices and 37 Awards, and Army Commendation Medal.