THE WALL OF FACES

On the 49th Anniversary of your death, thank you, CAPT Phillip Nichols, for your service and your sacrifice for our country, for our freedoms. Saying thank you seems so inadequate for the enormous sacrifice you made. May you always be remembered. Rest In Heavenly Peace, Brave Soldier. Hooaah! Happy Birthday too!

On March 18, 1969, the U.S. Army’s 198th Brigade and the 6th Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Regiment embarked upon Operation Geneva Park in Quang Ngai Province, RVN, a mission to eliminate the enemy forces within their area of operation while stressing pacification and combined U.S./ARVN operations. On October 13, 1970, a command element of the 198th Brigade was devastated when a member of the B Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry Command Group detonated a booby-trap while moving to a night defensive position 12 miles northwest of Quang Ngai City. Nine U.S. personnel were killed and six were wounded in the blast. An ARVN interpreter accompanying them was also killed. The explosion was caused by either a booby-trapped 105mm or 155mm artillery round. Lost in the blast from B/1-52 were commander CPT Robert E. Harper, radioman SP4 Ricks A. Hutson, and infantrymen SP4 Larry A. Walker and PFC Stephen M. Cady; from Headquarters Company (1-52): chaplain CPT Phillip A. Nichols, and medics SP4 Mark I. Gross and PFC Eugene O. Brown; and from D Battery, 1st Battalion, 14th Artillery: 1LT Lawrence M. Sullivan and SP4 Anibal P. Lozada-Vichy. Three medivac “dustoffs” were required to remove the dead and wounded from the field. The seriously wounded were taken to both the 27th Surgical Hospital and the 91st Evacuation Hospital at Chu Lai. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and Operational Report, Lesson Learned, Headquarters, 23rd Infantry Division, period ending October 1970]

The day I arrived in country on Lz Stinson with the 1/82 FA,Americal ,Div,supporting the 198th LIB,Captain Nichols and platoon were all KIA by a booby trap. Sky Pilot you finally reached the sky.

I've left a number of remembrances here for soldiers and nurses. I think this is the second for a chaplain. Thank you for going to Vietnam and giving comfort to our brave men and women who served there, Captain Phillip Nichols. Like your brothers-in-arms, you will NEVER be forgotten!

Captain Nichols was our Chaplin. What a gentle soul. I remember our conversations and sermons cut short so we could get in a few games of hearts before he had to fly out. I will never forget this wonderful man.

I guess I was one of the lucky ones as I left the field just twenty minutes before he was killed. My replacement was also killed. In fact, until yesterday I didn't realize he was killed as I spent the next month under medical care and communication of my former company was poor. Nine of our men were killed that day by a boobytrap. RIP brother