Memorial

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James Nichol attended college.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Chicago, Illinois, on 14 December 1942.

Statement of 1st Lt Joseph R. Boland, who flew in the same mission: "On 14 February 1945, I was flying #3 Position in a flight of three P-47 Fighter Airplanes on an armed Reconnaisance mission over Germany. 1st Lt Ralph E. Montgomery was leading the flight and 2nd Lt James E. Nichol was flying on his wing in #2 position. Our target was railroad tracks at Kruesberg, Germany, and when we reached the target we found it free of any anti-aircraft fire. I saw Lt Montgomery complete his bombing run and pull up to the left and followed Lt Nichol down on his run. He dropped his bombs and began to pull out of the dive, and was at an angle of dive of approximately ten degree when I stopped looking at him to concentrate on my bombing attack. When I last saw him, he was at approximately 1,500 feet altitude. I saw his bombs hit and saw one of my own explode. Lt Nichol was not in sight and did not reply to radio calls and did not return to our base."

Statement of 1st Lt Ralph E. Montgomery, who flew in the same mission: "On 14 February 1945, I was leading a flight of three P-47 Fighter airplanes on an armed reconnaisance mission over Germany. The flight was made up as follows: I was leading; 2nd Lt James E. Nichol was flying in #2 position; and 1st Lt Joseph R. Boland was flying in #3 position. Our bombing target was a railroad track at Kruesberg, Germany, and when we reached the target area we encountered no enemy fire of any kind. I made my bombing run and, after releasing my bombs, began pulling up to the left and continuing a 180-degree turn to observe my hits. I had reached a position just south of the target and saw my bombs hit and explode, and then saw an explosion on the side of a hill just northeast of the target. Lt Nichol's plane was not in sight, so I gave him a radio call but received no acknowledgment from him. I then called the Ground Control Station hoping to get a message from him on a channel other than the one I was using, but there was no message from him. Lt Boland and I then flew low over the spot where I had seen the explosion on the hill, but we could not determine from the air if it was an airplane crash. Lt Nichol did not return to the base."