Lee Fulton Clickner was a Langhorne native, a state champion wrestler who friends called “Peewee” for his small stature, and an ambitious Penn State graduate.
On Tuesday, nearly 55 years after the U.S. Army first lieutenant was killed by small arms fire in Vietnam’s Quang Nam Province, his legacy as a determined man and a protective leader was permanently honored.
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Bucks County officials and veterans organizations dedicated Bridge 304 on Silver Lake Road in Middletown Township on Tuesday to honor the Neshaminy High School graduate killed in action.
Clickner, who was 24, died from small arms fire on Oct. 25, 1969, in Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam.
“Accommodations and medals don’t make a man, but they certainly show you the personality and the character of a man,” said Ed Preston, chairman of the Pennsylvania Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. “Lee was awarded not only a Bronze Star, but a Silver Star, but also two Purple Hearts.”
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Clickner was born May 18, 1945. He graduated from Neshaminy High School in 1963, where he was a state champion wrestler, and later from Penn State University. He entered the U.S. Army in 1968 and began his tour in Vietnam on June 14, 1969. He served as an infantry unit commander with the 198th Light Infantry Brigade, 1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry, E Company.
Bucks County Commissioner Chairperson Bob Harvie, a Democrat, spoke of Clickner’s leadership.
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“As a first lieutenant, Clickner was not just a soldier in Vietnam. He was a leader of men,” Harvie said, adding that Clickner carried the responsibility of ensuring his men were trained, equipped and understood their mission while trying to get them all back home safely.
Harvie said he was confident Clickner “would have done everything he could do to protect the rest of his men, even if it cost him his own life.”
Childhood friends shared memories through letters read at the ceremony.
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Jackie Stout recalled that neighborhood children knew him as “Peewee” because of his small stature, and described him as “one of the smartest kids in our class.”
“We will never forget the day we learned the news of Lee’s death,” Stout’s letter stated. “It is just as heartbreaking today as it was on October 25, 1969, because he did not get the chance to live his life.”
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Steve Sherman, who roomed with Clickner at Penn State, described him as “one of the most determined, hard working individuals you could ever meet.”
Sherman, who noted Clickner would “fiercely tackle opposing players who were much bigger” on the Neshaminy High School football team despite weighing only 130 pounds, said he had “no doubt that Lee died in a line of fire to save his men under his command.”
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In speaking to those gathered, Ellis-Marseglia shared how one of Clickner’s friends said he always worked to make everyone’s life better.
Middletown Township Supervisor Bernadette Hannah, who was joined by Supervisor Dana Kane, emphasized that the bridge serves as more than infrastructure.
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“Today, our bridge connects our community to Lee’s legacy, ensuring that his name and his history will endure for generations to come,” Hannah said.
Matt Allen, the head of the Bucks County Department of Veterans Affairs, addressed the Clickner family, who were watching via livestream, to share gratitude for their sacrifice.
“I wish that we didn’t have to do these dedications,” Allen said. “With this dedication, his memory will last forever.”
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Veterans Advocate Peter Chong, of Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick’s office, presented a flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol to be given to Clickner’s family.
“Each time people pass over this bridge, look up at the sign and ask, ‘who was First Lieutenant Lee Clickner?’ His story will live on,” Chong said.
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The ceremony included a color guard presentation, the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem, the playing of taps, and the retirement of colors.
The dedication is the 19th bridge honored by the county and the 27th for the Pennsylvania Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. The program, according to Preston, looks to ensure that the county’s 136 Vietnam War casualties are remembered through permanent memorials.
“Forgetting is the hardest part,” Preston said. “With this program, we’re able to make sure that at least these 136 men will never be forgotten.”
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Preston announced this was the final bridge dedication for the year, with planning for 2026 dedications starting soon.
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