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
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