World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Alfred Nickerson
Branch of Service
U.S. Marine Corps
Hometown
Pepperell, Massachusetts
Honored By
Charles B. Church III
ENTERED THE U.S. MARINE CORPS IN 1943 AND ATTENDED BOOT CAMP AT PARRIS ISLAND NEAR BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA. ATTENDED ADVANCED TRAINING AT CAMP LE JEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA AND WAS ASSIGNED AS A BAKER AND COOK. SERVED AS PRIVATE FIRST CLASS WITH THE 5TH MARINE RAIDERS. IN A STATE-SIDE MOCK BATTLE, A NEARBY EXPLOSION CAUSED LOSS OF HEARING IN ONE EAR AND GREAT DAMAGE TO THE OTHER EAR. COUPLED WITH A SUBSEQUENT EAR INFECTION, HE WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE MARINE CORPS IN 1944. AWARDED THE SHARPSHOOTER BADGE FOR EXCELLENCE IN SMALL ARMS SKILLS.