VIETNAM - RICKELS, JOHN ALLEN

Rickels, John Allen

VIETNAM - RICKELS, JOHN ALLEN
RICKELS, JOHN ALLEN

Rank: Sergeant

Unit: B Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist

Awards: Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge

Unit awards: Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device

Enlisted by: Regular

Date of birth: 31-May-1944

Hometown: Lovington, New Mexico

Marital status: Married to Renate Rickels, one son, one daughter

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Start of tour: 13-Jul-1967

Incident date: 29-Jan-1968

Date of casualty: 29-Jan-1968

Age at death: 23

Cause of death: Hostile, died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
John Allen Rickels died from injuries received as passenger in military vehicle on supply mission when attacked by hostile force.

Seven Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC Frank Walter Asp
PFC Kenneth Joseph Grassl
PFC Victor Johnson Jr
SSG Gene Lawrence Kuvik
PFC Ricky Alan Myers
SGT John Allen Rickels
SFC Stuart Harold Thomson

Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam

Place of interment: Resthaven Cemetery, Lovington, New Mexico, USA

View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 35E 062 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)