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Chan said Bo clearly separated military and civilian life. “When Bo was home he was the same as he always was. But when he went to the airport to return to his unit, he was all-military when he hit the curb. If he had to be somewhere at 9:17, that’s when he was there.”
U.S. Army / Department of Defense
Sgt. Channing “Bo” Hicks, 26, was killed in action last Friday in Paktika province, Afghanistan. Hicks and Spc. Joseph A. Richardson, 23, of Booneville, Ark., suffered fatal injuries when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire, according to the Department of Defense’s standard release. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Jim Fair
Chan, Bo's father, and Kay "Mimi" Hicks, his paternal grandmother, shared their memories of a young boy determined to join the U.S. Army and make a difference in other people's lives."
Jim Fair
Dennis "Pepper" Hicks reverently holds a dirty U.S. Flag patch that had fallen off Bo's uniform. “Look at this patch how it is dirtied and had been worn by Bo in battle defending our country. He cared for people way before he was in the Army," said Pepper.
Family Photo
Bo Hicks played youth football in Wren but later played at Greer High School. "He loved the Greer High Yellow Jackets with all his heart," said Mimi.
Chan struggled with his feelings. He would remove his cap, pause, rub his head and face before continuing to describe his life with Bo and his children. He was unsuccessful holding back the tears.
“You know, I think how blessed am I? John is getting ready to go to college. I have Brianna who is (a sophomore) at Greer High. And Bo, he lived his life and did what he loved to do by joining the Army. These life’s decisions led me to this place in time.”
Photos surround the den as its own memorial to Bo. Chan pulled out a book showing some of his favorites of a young Bo. Trammel showed a photo on his cell phone showing Bo posing with country singer Justin Moore. “We probably didn’t spend as much time together as we wanted,” Trammell said.
An American flag patch was among the photos. Pepper reverently held the patch, describing how it had fallen off Bo’s uniform, and he recovered it. “Look at this patch how it is dirtied and had been worn by Bo in battle defending our country.” Pepper openly wept, while he described Bo. “He was very determined. He cared for people way before he was in the Army. He took up for the little man. He was not one to start something, but he was always there to pick up the pieces.”
When Bo was home on leave mourning the death of his grandfather, Pepper remembered, “he said he was worried about his brothers in his unit and had to get back. He put all those feelings aside for himself. That’s what Bo was about,” Pepper said.
The knock on the door
The Hicks family received an alarming phone call early last Friday. A family on the base where Bo was stationed, heard about soldiers being wounded with Bo identified as one of them. No further word was forthcoming.
Mimi called the USO, Red Cross, Our Fallen Soldier and any phone number she could find that would remotely link the agency as a source identifying wounded soldiers.
The fateful knock on Chan’s door occurred Friday night. “I knew immediately what it was,” he said.
Chan, Mimi and four other family members flew to Dover (Del.) Air Base on Sunday to see Bo back on U.S. soil. The flag draped casket was delicately unloaded with soldiers in military dress.
“It was an honor for me to be standing there,” Chan said. “Everybody was so kind to us, from the military, to the mothers for the soldiers.”
When the Army team arrived at the home Tuesday, Chan quietly, slowly, walked past them and went outside. He needed a moment alone. Time to pull himself together. Time to accept that he had to say goodbye to his son.
Patiently standing by was one of the Army visitors. The purpose was clear. It was time to discuss Bo’s final journey home. His father took a deep breath and walked back inside. He would be strong for his son.
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