Ronald Max Nichols

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-21912.jpeg UPL 21912 Ronald M Nichols, Colfax, KIA Charles D Taylor collection

"Iowans of the Mighty Eighth", Chapter 19 "Killed in Action", by Charles D Taylor

Object Number - UPL 21912 - Ronald M Nichols, Colfax, KIA

Assigned to 654BS, 25BG, 8AF USAAF. On 12-Aug-44, pilot Nichols and navigator Harris were on a weather scout report to Russia and Italy in a Mosquito bomber. Fell to friendly P-51 fire over Toulouse, France KIA



Flew with Navigator Lt Elbert F Harris.



Misidentified and shot down by a USAAF P-51 of the 357th Fighter Group at about 11:45 hrs. The Mustang pilot and his wingman climbed to engage from 23,000 feet and the Mosquito spun in from 29,000 feet. In the after action reports, both P-51 pilots implied that the twin-engined aircraft was silhouetted against the sun, the attacking pilot wrote that he did not see any roundels or invasion stripes on the aircraft and after the bogie turned onto his six o'clock and tried to dive away, he considered it to be hostile. Pilot, Lt. Nichols, was killed. Navigator, Lt. Harris, bailed out and evaded capture. Crash site west of Toulouse, France. Lt. (O-678309) Ronald M. Nichols (pilot) USAAF - killed

Lt. (O-865483) Elbert F. Harris (nav.) USAAF - OK



Awards: PH.

Connections

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Units served with

A B-26 Marauder of the 654th Bomb Squadron, 25th Bomb Group, parked on a runway. Handwritten on reverse: '654 BS.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Reconnaissance

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 25th Bomb Group 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron 401st Bomb Squadron 653rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19079017
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 25th Bomb Group 653rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-865483
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: Mosquito
  • Unit: 25th Bomb Group 653rd Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Colfax, IA 50054, USA 11 November 1919 Son of George and Jennie Nichols.

Enlisted

10 April 1942 Des Moines, Iowa

Died

Killed in action

Toulouse, France 12 August 1944 Killed in Action (KIA)

Buried

Colfax Cemetery Colfax, Jasper County, IA Colfax Cemetery Colfax, Jasper County, Iowa

Based

Watton 12 August 1944 Assigned to 654BS, 25BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

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ContributorEmily
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Sources

Removed source information added by Wattonman from biography

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ContributorWattonman
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Sources

Norman Malayney, "The 25th Bomb Group (Rcn) in WWII" Schiffer Publications Ltd. 2011.

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ContributorWattonman
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Sources

Norman Malayney, "The 25th Bomb Group (Rcn) in WWII" Schiffer Publications Ltd. 2011.

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ContributorAl_Skiff
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Sources

Additional biographical details from http://www.findagrave.com

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ContributorAl_Skiff
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ContributorAl_Skiff
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ContributorAAM
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Sources

Combat Chronology Supplements p. 540 and 192, Aerial Intelligence of the 8th AF, p. 8, 58-70; 174-5 personal accunt of the pilot p.174; / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Ronald Max Nichols: Gallery (3 items)