Local man Charlie Nickerson known in town as the former owner of Out Post Farm was celebrated Saturday August 30th at his Thistle Dew Farm on the Holliston Ashland town line.
Nickerson from a family of nine had already lost his brother Andy who died during the Bataan-Corregidor Death March during WWII and as the youngest son was itching to get into the fight. He tried getting into the military at age 17 but a forged birth certificate didn’t cut the mustard. At age 18 he found himself as part of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. Jumping into enemy territory during D-Day and Operation Overlord, Nickerson would find himself back in England as the unit took so many casualties. With new replacements, Nickerson would once again jump as a forward reconnaissance scout during the Battle of the Bulge. Earning not one but two Silver Stars, Nickerson was decorated by the youngest general in WWII Jim Gavin age 36. The Russians would award Charlie a medal for valor. Charlie would end the war in Berlin with his unit.
The scout in Nickerson resumed when he saw a realtor in Holliston while his wife shopped in the First National Store (formerly part of Fiske’s). Building a home on Prentice Street from logs cut off the property, Charlie began by raising chickens. Pigs seemed to be a more lucrative venture and then the turkeys came along.
In retirement Charlie purchased a sailboat and circumnavigated the world. On Saturday relatives came from Wyoming to celebrate his long life span.
Under a large tent there was a band, dancing and food. There were accolades and citations from Governor Healy, Senate President Karen Spilka, Rep. James Arena DeRosa, the Holliston Select Board, Holliston Veterans Service Office, Massachusetts National Guard, and American Legion Post 47.
While the birthday celebration was four days early, Charlie didn’t seem to mind after skirting dates when he was just 17 years of age.
