William Ward Nichols, Jr.

Captain, U.S. Army

William Ward Nichols, Jr. was born on 17 March 1937 in Hackensack, NJ. He was raised in Rutherford but then moved to Ridgewood with his brother and parents after the 9th grade. He graduated from Ridgewood High School (NJ) in 1955 where he was active in the Spanish Club, Booster Club, junior and senior Play committees and the Arrow art staff. He ran track his senior year and served as Treasurer of the youth group of Emmanuel Baptist Church.

Nichols then attended Penn State where he was active in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Program, was part of the Pershing Rifle Drill Team, a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity, and was singles and doubles handball champion. He married Warrene Shreve.

He entered the U.S. Army in August 1959. At Fort Benning, GA, Second Lieutenant Nichols completed the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course, Ranger School, and then finished first in his class at the Airborne School. He then served three and a half years in Germany.

Ward was then assigned to Fort Ord, CA, and went to Fort Bragg, NC, for refresher training before being deployed to Vietnam in February 1965. Before leaving, he was able to spend time with his infant son David. Upon arrival in country, Captain Nichols served with SD-5891, Headquarters, Military Assistance Command Vietnam Advisors, Military Assistance Command Vietnam, in Binh Dinh Province, South Vietnam.

In 1955, President Eisenhower sent the first military advisors to Saigon to help the South Vietnamese government in its war against the Vietcong guerrillas. In late 1961, President Kennedy increased the number of military advisors from 685 to several thousand. Over the next few years, U.S. military personnel continued to serve in advisory positions as the U.S. presence expanded into full involvement. By the time Ward Nichols joined them in 1965, the U.S. Military Assistance Command numbered 16,000 advisors, a number dwarfed by the 185,000 American troops in country as the U.S. commitment transitioned from advisory to hands-on, catching Ward Nichols in its crossfire. His role of advisor was often a frustrating one.

A big and cheerful man, Ward was diplomatic but determined. Dedicated to his task, he wrote "whatever will be, will be so we must put our faith in God and use our abilities to the utmost to accomplish the goals we have prescribed as a nation."

On the morning of 4 October 1965, Ward was an advisor to the 22nd Infantry Division of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) trying to establish a perimeter defense to protect engineers who were working on the Phu Lay bridge in Ninh Dinh Province, 250 miles north of Saigon. At about 0500, the unit came under intensive fire. In complete disregard for his own safety, CPT Nichols left the comparative security of his command post to get a personal feel of the opposing force's strength. Despite heavy mortar and small arms fire, Ward remained in the front line with his men until he was mortally wounded. His body was recovered.

[Most of the information above was provided by Chris Stout.]

Medals and Badge

Silver Star Medal
Purple Heart
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm
Vietnam National Order, Fifth Class
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge

Silver Star Citation: The award cited him for "disregarding personal safety to move through intense hostile small arms and mortar fire to insure weapons being served to the friendly force and to see that they were properly emplaced. While advising them on the effective use of suppressive fire against the enemy Captain Nichols was mortally wounded by a communist mortar round."

Honors

The name William W Nichols Jr is located on Panel 2E Line 106 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

A stained glass window at Emmanuel Baptist Church is dedicated to his memory.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=106292987