Soldier Honored: Stephen D. Bicknell

Army Private First-Class Stephen D. Bicknell, of Prattville, Ala., was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  On October 15, 2006 in Samarra, Iraq, PFC Bicknell died of injuries sustained when two land mines detonated near his Humvee, also killing a fellow soldier. He was six weeks shy of his 20th birthday.

PFC Bicknell was a standout quarterback and graduated from Prattville High School in 2005.  He received a scholarship to play football for the Tigers of the University of West Alabama but came to find that college was not what he expected it to be, so he left to enlist in the Army. In honor of wounds he received as a result of hostile actions, PFC Bicknell was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart as well as the Bronze Star Medal.  He also received the Army Good Conduct Medal.

His father was a Technical Sergeant in the Air Force.  PFC Bicknell was a professional, competent and proficient paratrooper who joined the Army in 2006, shortly after leaving college. He married on July 6, 2006, and a month later, he was deployed to Iraq. PFC Bicknell was very family oriented and put others needs before his own. He was a devoted husband, father-to-be, son, brother, teammate and friend. PFC Bicknell left behind his wife and the baby they were expecting.

Their son is a recipient of the Folds of Honor Children’s Fund scholarship.