Command was so thrilled with the map, that they sent the first two tanks that landed at Utah Beach to aid the 101st, providing Nixon a ride back to Battalion headquarters.ĭuring Operation Market Garden, part of the Allied plan to recapture Holland, Nixon was nearly killed when a stray shot glanced off his helmet, lightly burning the side of his head.
Here, he was given a map by Winters, detailing all the German artillery positions in Normandy, and, realizing its importance, ran 3 miles to Utah Beach to pass it up the chain of command. On 6 June 1944, Nixon dropped into Normandy on D-Day as part of Operation Overlord, and managed to link up with Battalion headquarters. He and his unit were later sent to Aldbourne, England. He then earned his jump wings at Fort Benning and completed the rest of his training at Camp Mackall. Sobel was strict, reminding Nixon of his headmaster at school.ĭuring training, Nixon was moved to Battalion staff (apparently as a request to get away from Sobel), and was made S-2. He was placed under the command of 1st Lieutenant Herbert Sobel. He joined the Paratroopers early on along with Winters, and was assigned to Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division as commander of 2nd Platoon. He left a 2nd Lieutenant, and was assigned duty at Fort Ord, California attached to a MP (Military Police) unit. He then attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning. In 1941, Nixon enlisted in the Army at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and completed Basic Training at Camp Croft, South Carolina. He became owner of his family's Nixon Nitration Works. He went to Yale and to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
He was the grandson of Lewis Nixon, a battleship designer. Lewis Nixon was born on 30 September 1918 in New York City. Captain Lewis Nixon was the S-2 (Intelligence Officer) for the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
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