World War II Honoree

Ralph W. Nicholson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Nashua, Iowa

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY MARCH 31, 1942 AT CAMP DODGE, JOHNSTON, IOWA AND BECAME A PATHFINDER PARATROOPER, WHO SERVED WITH G-COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION, 508TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 82ND AIRBORNE ‘ALL-AMERICAN’ DIVISION. HE JUMPED INTO THE AREA OF STE. MERE EGLISE, BATTLE OF NORMANDY ON THE FRENCH COTENTIN PENINSULA IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, D-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944. THIS WAS THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, CODE NAME: OPERATION OVERLORD. KILLED IN ACTION ON THE DAY OF THE ASSAULT IN THE VICINITY OF LA FIERE, NORMANDY AND WAS INTERRED NEAR STE. MERE EGLISE IN THE BLOSVILLE CEMETERY. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE; HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO HIS FAMILY, WITH BURIAL IN THE GREENWOOD CEMETERY, NASHUA, IOWA. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: BRONZE STAR AND THE PURPLE HEART WERE AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY. THE BRONZE STAR WAS AWARDED TO THE SOLDIER FOR BRAVERY, ACT OF MERIT AND MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN COMBAT.