James Burnell Rickels

James Burnell Rickels grew up in Wyoming in Jones County. He attended Midland Community High School until he joined the Navy during his junior year in April 1966. Seaman (SN) Rickels had been in Vietnam for around 18 months at the time of his death. SN Rickels was stationed aboard the USS <i>Mark</i> AKL-12 River Patrol Boat in the Mekong River Delta. His vessel commonly encountered Viet Cong while patrolling the inland waterways. On March 15, 1968 he was returning to his ship from shore duty in Saigon when he slipped and fell into the river. The current of the river carried his body away and SN Rickels drowned. Five days later his body was recovered and pulled from the water. The 18-year-old was buried at the Wyoming Cemetery.