The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1945-11-29
Back At His Old Job
After 4 Yrs. Of War
VIM. Nichols, Jr., Tells Of His
Experiences In Pacific Theater.

Experiences In Pacific Theater.
William M. Nichols, Jr., son of
Mr.. and Mrs VIM. M. Nichols, 25
Randolph avenue, one of the first
men to be returned home from the
Pacific under the point system-he
had 125 points-is back at his old
job with the Maryland Ribbon Com
pany and looking and feeling fine
after four years of war in the Pa
cific theater of operations.
Entering the Service on April II,
1941, he was sent to the Pacific on
July 8, 1941, as a member of an
anti-aircraft battery, and stayed out
there until his return last June for
discharge. He came home with five
Battle Stars, the American Defense
ribbon, the Asiatic and Pacific rib
bon, the Philippine Liberation
medal, the Good Conduct medal and
enough experiences to fill a book.
After short stay in Hawaii he
moved on to the Gilbert Islands.
From there he went to Leyte, finally
to lie Shima, a small island off the
coast of Okinawa Island. Asked for
this most exciting experience during
his four-year stay in the Pacific, he
quickly replied that the two days
and nights he and his buddies spent
on the beach at Ie Shima gave him
enough excitement to last him for
the rest of his life.
Following the infantry onto the
beach, his anti-aircraft battery had
to dig in on the beachhead for two
days and nights, while the infantry
was establishing its position, and, as
if that wasn't enough, the Japs
staged one of their Banzai charges
while they were there.
Shortly after the charge started.
there came a sudden quiet, during
which a voice, speaking perfect Eng
llsh, shouted, don't shoot, bringing
up casualties" One of the infantry
men, however, sensing a trick, open
ed fire and then all hell broke loose.
The Japs hurled grenade into the
machine gun emplacements, but a
courageous infantryman fell on it
and thus saved the lives of his COM
rades. The rest of the night was
a mad house, with the Field Artil-
lery pouring in shells from the north
shore OF Okinawa, and next morn
ing, when Nichols and his crew sur
veyed the carnage, all they could
find of the Japs were bits of uni
forms here and there.
Nichols, by the way, came back to
the States, via various modes of
travel. He flew from Okinawa to
Guam and thence to Hickman Field,
Honolulu. He then boarded a ship
for the trip to San Francisco: took
the train for the ride to Fort Meade:
hoped on bus for the run to Ha-
gerstown and then hailed taxi for
the last leg of the trip from .le
bus station to Is Randolph avenue.
Another brother First Lieut.. John
Arthur Nichols, who has just been
promoted from second lieutenant. is
a pilot in the Air Corps and is at
present based in Denver, Colorado,
where he is flying an A. T-6. The
lieutenant, who entered the Air
Corps as a cadet in 1943, graduated
and was commissioned in February.
1914. After flying BIT and B-24
ships, in various fields in this coun-
try, ne was moved to his present
base and his future plans are still
uncertain. He married the former
Miss Elizabeth Hose, who with their
son, John Arthur, Jr., (Eric), is.
living with her parents, MIR. and Mrs
Fred Hose, 331 Jefferson street.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hose also have a
son, Cpl. Jack Hose, who has re-
Gently returned home after nearly
two years in the ETC.