RICKETTS, Don Oscar, was a native of Wayne County, Tennessee born at Clifton in 1894. He was the second son and the fourth of six children born to his parents: Charles Samuel RICKETTS (1863-1937) and Willie Shannon HAWKINS RICKETTS (1862-1898). Don’t siblings were Cordelia RICKETTS (Mrs. H. M. JACKSON) born at Clifton in 1885, buried in Marianna, AR in 1965; John Pitts “Jack” RICKETTS, born at Clifton in 1887, buried at El Dorado, AR in 1968; Grace Leo RICKETTS (Mrs. Talmage J. OLD, Sr.) Born at Clifton in 1890, buried at Clifton in 1972; Ruth RICKETTS (Mrs. Wrenn PHELPS), born at Clifton in 1895, buried at Earle, AR in 1985; and infant brother James RICKETTS born and died in Clifton in 1898.
After the death of Don’s mother in 1898, Don’s father married Minnie LEE of Clifton. Don then had two half-sisters: Nettie RICKETTS (Mrs. Charlie PHELPS) born at Clifton in 1900, buried at Earle, AR in 1986 and Halle RICKETTS (Mrs. Eugene AVERY) born at Clifton in 1916 and living at this writing in Memphis, TN.
Don O. RICKETTS spend the first twenty-one years of his life at Flatten. He completed his education at Frank Hughes College, located at Clifton and adjacent to the Charles S. RICKETTS’ homeplace. Don worked in his father’s store, a mercantile business in Clifton which serviced a large part of Wayne County through the store in town and a “rolling store” which Charles RICKETTS moved throughout the area. Don’s father composed and published two volumes of poetry during the 1920’s and ’30’s, using people and Wayne County scenes as his subjects. Don, too, tried his hand at descriptive writing while working at the store. But Don O. RICKETTS became restless.
Don had a strong desire to travel and see the world. He also ha a strong expressed desire to “…make Papa proud of me.” To satisfy both of these desires, Don chose to try a military career. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on 20 June 1916. He received Basic Training at Ft. Myers, Virginia and during the following four years he was allowed to travel extensively. He succeeded in making his father and his entire family deeply proud of him as he served most of his four-year tour in the army fighting bravely and honorably on the front lines of battle in France during the conflict recorded in history as World War I.
Don O RICKETTS returned to the states after the war with no visible wounds. However, his time spent in active combat had left scars on his mind and emotions which would prove to be incurable. He was a changed person. An earlier desire to be a writer returned, replacing his decision for an army career. And, for the time being, Don’s desire to “see the world” had been satisfied. He was ready to try civilian life.
SGT. Don Oscar RICKETTS (793847) was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army on 22 July 1920. He returned to visit Clifton, and then he went to Nashville to seek employment with “The Nashville Banner”. For months Don was satisfied. He was not married; he had few responsibilities; he was satisfied to be living in the home of his sister Grace and her family; and he liked his work. However, Don became restless. The desire to travel emerged again. He chose to try the military life once again.
Don O. RICKETTS enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a sailor until 1926. After his Basic Training, Don was sent with his ship to Hawaii for some Naval War Maneuvers. This was in 1926, and this was the assignment which brought to the surface Don’s irreparably damaged mental and emotional condition incurred years earlier in France. The 1920’s term for his condition was “shell-shocked”; a more modern term is “mental/emotional illness”. Treatment was started just after his 1926 discharge from the Navy; he was entered as a patient in one of the several Veteran’s Hospital ward where he would receive continuous medical and psychological treatment.
From 1926 to the time of his death at age of 65, Don Oscar RICKETTS lived in a hospital. The traumatic flashbacks to battles fought as a soldier on the front lines of World War I recurred periodically. Time between the flashbacks would be recorded as “normal”. A cure for his condition was not found; however, with the introduction of various tranquillizers, much misery was spared Don and other veterans who suffered mentally when re-living battle horrors. While being treated at Roanoke, VA in 1937, Don was notified of his father’s death. Soon thereafter, he was transferred to the Veteran’s Hospital in Murfreesboro, TN, closer to his relatives in Tennessee and Arkansas. Don was never able to reside outside the confines of a hospital ward. He died while still a patient, a victim of his war experience.
Don Oscar RICKETTS, veteran of both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy received military rites on 27 April 1959, at services conducted at Jarrell’s Memorial Chapel with burial in the National Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee. Even though the name of Don O. RICKETTS does not appear on any of the World War I Honored Dead (killed in action) rosters, he was, in truth, a casualty of that terrible conflict. At the time of his death, Dr. W. C. WILLIAMS, Manager of the Veterans Administration Hospital on White Bridge Road in Nashville, wrote to Don’s brother Jack these words which in brief, tell of Don Oscar RICKETTS’ prime accomplishment in life:
” … may your faith and trust in God give you comfort and strength in your sorrow and may you find further consolation in the fact that he served his country when every available manpower resource was needed …”
Written by his nieces Margaret OLD RAINS and Adaline OLD HASSELL 15 Nov 1990.