Faces Bio

William W. Nichols was born on March 17, 1937, to Mr. and Mrs.William Nichols, Sr. in Hackensack.  His homeof record is Ridgewood, NJ. Nichols graduated from Ridgewood High School in1955. He was active in the Spanish Club, Booster Club, Junior and Senior Playcommittees and the Arrow art staff. Healso served as treasurer of the youth group at Emmanuel Baptist Church.

Nichols studied at Penn State University, where he wasactive in ROTC, was part of the Perishing Rifle drill team, a member of Phi KappaTau fraternity and was singles and doubles handball champion.

He entered the service in August 1959, did ranger trainingand finished first in his airborne training class at Fort Benning. He themserved 3.5 years in Germany. Ward was then assigned to Fort Ord in Californiaand went to Fort Bragg for refresher training before being sent to Vietnam inFebruary 1965 with the U.S. Military Assistance Command in the role of advisor.He served in the US Army and attained the rank of Captain (CAPT).

Nichols was killed in action on October 4, 1965, when theSouth Vietnamese unit for which he was the advisor was ambushed near Phu Ly,225 miles from Saigon.  He was dashingthrough enemy fire to coordinate defensive efforts when he was hit by a mortarshell.  For these actions, he wasposthumously awarded the Silver and Bronze Stars. He was also awarded theGallantry Cross with palm and the National Order, fifth class from theVietnamese Government.

Nichols was survived by his parents, his wife Warrene Shreveand eight month old son.

He is buried in Block X, Lot 98, Section B, Grave 4 inGeorge Washington Memorial Park in Paramus. A stained glass window at EmmanuelBaptist Church is dedicated to his memory.

Sources: Newspaper clippings, Ridgewood High School yearbook,“At Death he was 25 Years Old” by Christopher C. Stout and NJVVMF.