March 29, 2023: Dave Nichols
Today, we honor Dave Nichols, a Veteran who exemplifies resilience and dedication to his community. Born in Maine in October 1949, Nichols enlisted in the U.S. Army and served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, who were known as the “Sky Soldiers” during the Vietnam War. The “Sky Soldiers” saw years of continuous combat, earned 14 campaign streamers, 4 different unit citations, and a dozen Medals of Honor.
On June 11, 1970, Nichols was severely injured in an ambush while clearing an enemy base camp. A claymore mine exploded, resulting in the amputation of both legs below the knee. For his service, he received Purple Heart and a Bronze Star Medal.
After his military service, Nichols went back to school, graduating from SUNY New Paltz in 1977. He married his wife, Carrie, and together raised three children.
Nichols has dedicated his life to volunteering with various Veterans and disability causes. He has been an adaptive sports athlete for the past 25 years, participating in events such as skiing and golf. In Albany, NY, he has mentored recently disabled Veterans and participated in amputee sports tournaments. He is also a ski instructor and boxing coach, and has expanded his interests to include pickleball. As if that wasn’t enough to keep anyone busy, he gives back to his community through over 20 years as a volunteer firefighter.
Nichols is competing in this week’s Winter Sports Clinic.
We honor his service and wish him well in his events.
Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay
Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.
It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.
Editor: Amanda Watkins
Researcher: Winter Sports Clinic Staff
Graphics: Kiki Kelly
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as a fellow nam vet i salute you!