PFC Glenn Erlen Nichols (WWII)


PFC Glenn Erlin Nichols (service # 35082055) was born August 28, 1918 in (North View) Clarksburg, WV, the son of Rev. Ira and Julia (Debroux) Nichols. Ira was born in West Virginia, and Julia was born in Belgium. 

In the 1920s, the family was living in North View in Clarksburg at 1216 North 17th Street, while Ira worked as a mold maker at a glass plant. Unfortunately, Julia died in 1929, leaving Ira with five kids under the age of 14 to raise alone, four sons, and one daughter.

Ira married Edith Cork on May 31, 1930, in Fairmont. Their home addresses are both listed as Fairmont, WV on the marriage certificate. Unfortunately, Edith died less than 8 years later at age 25, on February 9, 1938. Ira remarried one last time on June 3, 1940, in Virginia. Ira's 1940 address is listed as 1321 Speedway Avenue, Fairmont, and his bride, Ethel Louise Thomas, hailed from Carolina. At that time, Ira was working at Owens Illinois Glass Company. 

Marriage and WWII Draft:

Glenn married Margaret Isabelle Phillips on June 26, 1939 in Meadowdale (Fairmont), WV. Margaret had been attending Fairmont State Teachers College. Their only child, Carol Jean Nichols, was born March 1, 1940.

During the 1940 census, Glenn, Margaret, and Carol Jean were living with Margaret's parents (George and Helen Phillips) and her siblings. Glenn was working as an automobile mechanic at a "storage garage."

When Glenn completed his draft card on October 16, 1940, he was working for Bert Hunsaker at 222 Hull Alley in Fairmont. He listed himself as 5'6" and 135 lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. At that time, he and Margaret were living at 401 Columbia Street, also in Fairmont.

The 1943 Fairmont City Directory shows the family living on Stoney Road in Fairmont, and working at the glass factory.

Military Service:

Glenn enlisted on April 18, 1944 at Fort Thomas in Newport, Kentucky. He joined the 318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division. The 318th Infantry Regiment's April 1945 Wounded/Killed/Missing report lists him as being part of Company "H" (page 6).Nicknamed the "Blue Ridge Division", it was originally comprised of draftees from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. Their motto was "Vis Montium", Latin for "Strength of the Mountains."

In April 1945, Glenn was admitted to the field hospital for a penetrating bullet wound to his buttock and hip with no nerve involvement, and was released. Around that time-span, he was also seen for nasopharyngitis (common cold) of the face and cheek, caused by a bullet or not stated missile. Only the month is given, but the Morning Report compilation from April 1945 supports the idea that the hip and buttock wound led to his death, as it lists his injuries on April 16 as "seriously wounded in action" in Wittgensdorf, Germany.

On April 16, 1945, PFC Glenn Erlen Nichols died of his wounds in Germany. 

Glenn was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster for his service. After the initial Purple Heart is issued, oak leaves are awarded for each additional wound. Glenn is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten. 

Survivors:

Glenn was survived by his wife, Margaret, and only child, Carol Jean. The 1950 census for Marion County showed 30 year old Margaret and 10 year old Carol Jean living at Homewood Avenue in Fairmont while Margaret worked as an elementary school teacher, where she had worked at least since 1947. By 1952, she was a saleswoman, in 1956, she was working as a clerk at Tucker Floor & Wall Covering and living on Lamont Ct. 

Margaret married Paul J. Saloky on November 1, 1958, and continued to work at Tucker Floor & Wall Covering, according to the 1959 Fairmont City Directory. The same directory lists Paul as a coal miner at Mountaineer Coal Company. She died March 24, 1989 at age 69, and is buried at Maple Grove Cemetery in Fairmont. 

Carol Jean attended East Fairmont High School and the Clarksburg Beauty Academy. Carol Jean married John Eldon Chapman on August 10, 1965 and lived until June 26, 2013, when she died at age 73. She is buried at the Mount Zion Cemetery in Fairmont. She was survived by their four children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

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