1/1/1969
CPT Briggs Kinney “Joe” Sicilia was killed on 1 January 1969. CPT Sicilia was assigned to the 170th Ordnance Detachment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 6th Ordnance Battalion, 45th General Support Group, Army Support Command Qui Nhon, 1st Logistical Command, Saigon (today called Ho Chi Minh), Gia Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam. CPT Sicilia was responding to an incident located at the Bachelor Officers Quarters #2, Saigon, when he was killed by an accidental gunshot discharge from a security guard’s rifle. The casualty reports states that CPT Sicilia was the driver of the military vehicle when an explosion occurred in front of the vehicle at the time he was shot. CPT Sicilia was posthumously awarded the Legion Of Merit Medal.
*This bio was researched and authored by SGM Mike R.Vining, USA (Retired). Please send any additional information and/or corrections to the author of this bio by email: sgmmvining@gmail.com. The EOD Warrior Foundation is not responsible for the accuracy of the information in bio.
I first met BK when he was leaving the admin area of the US Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal School, Indian Head, Maryland. At the time he was wearing Corporals Stripes and I was a Specialist 5th Class assigned to the US Army Technical Assistance Branch (TALB), at Stumpneck a remote facility belonging to Indian Head. This must have been around 1960
The next time I met him was when he walked in the door of the 67th Ordnance Detachment (EOD), Fort McNair, Washington, DC. He was now Captain Riggs K Sicilia and was going to be my commanding officer for the next few years. I was now a Sergeant First Class, and the year was probably 1965-66 Seem we both had gotten some promotions.
The last time we met was in Saigon. He was the CO of the 170th EOD, and I was assigned to an EOD unit in Danang. He met his end doing EOD work, but very tragically.
The men in his unit in Saigon knew that we had been friends for many years. As a bit of a cowboy character, he used to carry a sawed off shotgun, and given his height and stature looked quite a bit like a modern version of a Western Gunslinger.
Anyway, his men saw to it that I received his shotgun, and for that I was grateful.