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name
NICHOLS, Andrew Robert - Date of
birth
21 June 1914 -
Age
29 - Place of
birth
North Platte, Lincoln County, Nebraska -
Hometown
Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32411389 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
339th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
16 December 1943 - Place of
death
Waddenzee, approximately 2 miles northwest of Harlingen, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Arthur R. Nichols (father)
Laura M. (Cox) Nichols (mother)
Vinton F. Nichols (brother)
Lois E. Nichols (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31113 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Zilch
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the port
MACR: 1564
More information
S/Sgt Andrew R. Nichols attended the University of Colorado-Boulder where he was a member of the Debate Club and Sigma Delta Chi fraternity. Prior to entering the service, he was a reporter for the Houston Chronicle.He enlisted at Fort Jay, Governors Island, New York on 23 July 1942.
The airplane was attacked by enemy aircraft. One engine was knocked off the ship, falling on aircraft no # 42-30872. Both airplanes went down. No parachutes were seen.
The entire crew of both airplanes was killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.footnote.com - MACR, WWII Draft Card, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, www.8thafhs.com, WWII Draft Cards, University of Colorado 1938 yearbook
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Tracy Briggs, Lois Nichols Worcester (sister), Tracy Briggs