Evening star., 1945-11-09
Jack Nichols Buried
With I Other Victims
OF Crash in Eritrea

Funeral services Tor the eight VIC
tins of plane crash Wednesday In
Eritres, including former Repre-
sentative Jack Nichols, 49, vice pres
ident of Transcontinental & West
ern Air, Inc, and two Washington
area men associated with TWA,
were held at the United States mil
itary cemetery in Asmara, according
to an Army announcement from
Cairo.
In addition to five Army crew.
men and Mr.. Nichols, Capt. Milo
H. Campbell, AZ, airlines pilot, of
1906 North Pitt street, Alexandria,
and Austin J. Naylor, A, technical
aiviser, of 5101 Watson street NV.
perished in the crash after a take
of at Asmara, Eritrea. !
The airline officials were in the
Middle East completing arrange
ments for opening of TWA passen-
ger service.
Started Crash Probes.
Ironically, Mn Nichols, former
member of the House District Com
mittee, sponsored national legisla-
ton to Investigate aviation acci-
depts and promote air safety regu-
lations. He left Congress, Where he
had represented the second district
of Oklahoma since 1885, to join
TWA in 1943.
A series of commercial airline ac-
eidents in the United States con-
vinced Mr.. Nichols, in 1910, that
Congress should do something about
it. He introduced legislation Great
ing a special House committee to
investigate airline accidents and was
named chairman.
Later the committee became
active in matters other than airline
crash Investigations. Army training
planes, Mr. Nichols contended were
cutting across civilian afline routes,
dropping bombs or engaging in
machine gun practice in areas where
civilian planes might fly.
Looked Into Axis Interests.
AS the result of the committees
suggestion, President Roosevelt set
up co-ordinating board of agencies
interested In aviation and it out
lined the areas where flying of vari-
Gus types was permissible.
The committee opposed the Army
taking over commercial airlines and
brought about agreements for turn
ing over to the services surplus civil
ian planes. In addition, the COM
mittee investigated Italian and Ger
man aviation interests in South
America.
Mr.. Nichols was native of Joplin,
Mo. He and his wife Marian were
separated by divorce in 1943. He
also is survived by two children, Mrs.
Neal Sellers of Norman, Okla, and
Dan Nichols of Eufaula, Okla; his
mother, Mrs. M. C. Nichols of Wash
ington; three brothers, Clark OF
Washington, Waldo of Arlington and
George of Los Angeles; three sisters,
Mrs. Cleo B. Spencer of Washington,
Mrs. George Payton OF Joplin and
Mrs. D. 1. Flatt Of Colorado Springs,
Colo, and one granddaughter.
Joined TWA in 1880.
Capt. Campbell, native of San
Bernardino, Calf, had been with
TWA since 1880 after graduating
from the Naval Aviation Mechanics
School, Great Lakes, Ill. He is sur
vived by his widow, who lives, in
North Hollywood, Calif-,gr,s. =
Mr.. Naylor, a native OF, Lakewood,
N. j., started with TWA in April,
1914, and recently was assigned to
the company's international division.
A graduate of the National Uni
versity law school. Mr.. Naylor had
served with the Veterans Admin
istration, the Civil Aeronautics Au-
thority and the Airlines War Train
ing Institute.
Surviving are his widow. who lives
here, and his parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Joseph Naylor of Lakewood.
Army Dead Identified.
Mr. Nichols was member OF a
House subcommittee which dealt
with the Griffenhagen plan for re-
organization of the District govern
ment. He fought for a sales tax
for the city and was member of
another subcommittee which pro-
posed Camp Springs as site for
national airport serving Washington.
The War Department identified
the five Army personnel as follows:
Capt. Harold H. Zufall, Fresno,
Calf; 1st 1t. Richard o. Hill, Fres-
no, Calf; M/Sergt. Jack P. Graham,
Waterloo, Iowa; S/Sergt. Ralph E.
Jacobsen, Madison, Nebr.: S/Sergt.
Daniel e. Antitomas, Rochester, Pa.