Gene served in the 9th Air Force, under General Patten with the 344th bomb group,496th Squadron.
Gene enlisted while living in Prescott, Arizona, the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, killing so many Americans, December 7,1941. He loves his country so much he immediately enlisted December 8,1941 and was inducted into the Army Air Corp. on December 10,1941. He was sent to Tyler, Texas for survival training. Then on to Chanutte Field in Ill. One day he glanced at the bulletin board and there was his name saying he had volunteered to become an Aircraft Mechanic. He thought it was a mistake, because there was another Nichols in his group, besides he hadn't volunteered for such. Wrong he learning the meaning of volunteering in the service, not an action on your own, but the service decides, for you.
Then he was sent to Florida where he received his training, before going over seas to his first combat Battle. Gene's group was one of the first ones into that horrible Battle of the Bulge. His duties, living in a tent, were to travel after supplies and change the Guards, every four hours. He slept with his clothing on at all times, both night and day. One night he was awaken, to an explosion, running to assist the guard that was in trouble, He found the guard, had shot one of their fuel storage tanks. An optical illusion had occurred and the guard thought he saw it move in the foggy night. Tragically, that soldier was taken away and Gene never saw him again.
Another tragic day, two of their planes ran together and crashed and each one of his group, were given Body Bags to pick up the remains of his Buddies, scattered over about a 6 block area. This has left Gene with very painful memories. Blest by God, Gene came home shortly D-Day and was given his Honorable Discharge at Beale AFB on December 10,1945. Many didn't come home alive!
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