Cecil Bernard Nickens was born in Lakewood, NJ, on September 19, 1947, the son of Mary E. Williams and Cecil Nickens. He had two brothers, Sidney and Stephen. Cecil attended Lakewood High School, but left in his junior year to enlist in the service. He planned to complete his high school education while in the military.
Nickens served in the US Army and attained the rank of Specialist 4 (SP4).
He was sent to Vietnam on July 21, 1966. On August 9, 1967, while cleaning his rifle, it went off and he was killed.
Nickens received a funeral with full military honors on August 19, 1967. Following a service at Macedonia Baptist Church, he was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Cedarbridge Avenue, Lakewood, NJ.
His brother, Sidney, was serving with the US Air Force at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas at the time of his brother’s death.
Sources: Anne Cullen (volunteer) and NJVVMF, Photo from VVMF.
12/17/2024
