David L. Nichols (January 18, 1934 – April 5, 1997) was a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force (USAF). He flew 100 combat missions over North Vietnam, collected 8,800+ flying hours, and held command three times.
He was the first director of the Air Force's ground-launched cruise missile planning group and oversaw the construction of six bases in five NATO countries.
Personal life and death Nichols married his wife, Janice Lesan, in 1958. They remained married until his death. She died in 2003 and they are buried together at Arlington National Cemetery.
He died on April 5, 1997.
Career and awards Nichols joined the military in 1955.
As a fighter pilot, he flew 100 missions over North Vietnam in the F-105D as part of Operation Rolling Thunder. He was a Wild Weasel, which was a program that outfitted his aircraft with anti-radiation missiles and tasked with the suppression of enemy air defenses. He accrued over 8,800 flying hours.
Nichols helped the deployment of the ground-launched weapon system from 1980 to 1985. He was the first director of the Air Force's ground-launched missile planning ground. Later on, he established and then directed the ground-launched cruise missile planning group in Europe. He helped manage the missiles beddown activities and oversaw the building of six bases in five North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries. +AwardsSilver StarLegion of Merit with two oak leaf clustersDistinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clustersDistinguished Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal with oak leaf clusterAir Medal with 16 oak leaf clustersAir Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf clusterno ribbonOrder of the Sword
Assignments TimeTitleAssignmentStationLocationAugust 1955 - April 1959navigator in C-11830th Air Transport Squadron, 1611th Air Transport WingMcGuire AFBBurlington County, New JerseyApril 1959 - April 1967studentVance AFBEnid, Oklahomainstructor pilotstan board evaluatorJanuary 1967 - January 1968fighter pilot, F-105D357th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactical Fighter WingTakhli Royal Thai AFBThailandJanuary 1968 - July 1970instructor pilot23rd Tactical Fighter WingMcConnell AFBWichita, Kansaswing chief of safetyJuly 1970 - May 1972chief of safety18th Tactical Fighter WingKadena AFBOkinawa, JapanCommander12th Tactical Fighter SquadronMay 1972 - May 1973studentAir War CollegeMaxwell AFBMontgomery, AlabamaMay 1973 - August 1975Air Force military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Atomic EnergyHeadquarters USAFPentagonArlington, VirginiaAugust 1975 - April 1977chief of staffHeadquarters 9th Air ForceShaw AFBSumter, South CarolinaApril 1977 - July 1979Commander33rd Tactical Fighter WingEglin AFBOkaloosa County, FloridaJuly 1979 - March 1980Deputy Director for Operations and TrainingHeadquarters USAFPentagonArlington, VAMarch 1980 - July 1981Deputy Director for Plans and PolicyJuly 1981 - October 1982Deputy Chief of Staff for PlansHeadquarters US Air Forces in EuropeRamstein Air BaseRhineland-Palatinate, GermanyOctober 1982 - August 1983command's Chief of StaffAugust 1983 - June 1984Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and OperationsHeadquarters USAFPentagonArlington, VirginiaJune 1984 - September 1985Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and OperationsAir Force operations deputy to the Joint Chiefs of StaffSeptember 1985 - July 1988CommanderAlaskan Air CommandElmendorf AFBAnchorage, AlaskaAlaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command RegionJoint Task Force-Alaska
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