Frank Leroy Nickels was born on 24 October 1924. He was the son of Henry Augustus “Gus” Nickels and Polly Maxine Taylor. He was the husband of Zella Elizabeth Williams.
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Headquarters 2
Paratrooper
He left April 19, 1943, for the Army and sailed overseas in May 1943. He was a paratrooper in 14 battles with the 82nd Airborne Division and was killed by small arms fire when several of his group were sent to a bridge across the Rhine River and were cut off by the Germans. He was killed in action in Holland on 23 September 1944.
The dog tag was discovered by Felix de Klein with a metal detector in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, on a US fieldhospital from the 82e Airborne Division.
The Kingsport Times-News, April 10, 1949
Funeral services for Pvt. Frank L. Nickels, son of Mr. and Mrs. H.G. Nickels, Kingsport, will be held at Hamlett-Dobson Chapel with burial following in City Cemetery. Military rites will be accorded at the grave by Hammond Post 3, American Legion.
A paratrooper Private Nickels died in action in Holland, September 23, 1944. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. He was a student at Dobyns-Bennett.
Private Nickels is survived by his widow, Mrs. Zella Castle of 934 Myrtle Street and three children: Sanda, 6; Carol, 5; Frankie, 4.
- Rank: Private
- Date of birth: 24 October 1924
- Date of death: 23 September 1944
- County: Sullivan
- Hometown: Kingsport
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Silver Star, Purple Heart, Bronze Star
- Burial/Memorial Location: Oak Hill Cemetery, Kingsport, Sullivan County, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XVIII, Top Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Frank L. Nickels
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