WW2 Fallen - B-17 navigator Alfred Nichols

Lt. Alfred Nichols was a navigator flying B-17s in the 326th Bombardment Squadron.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/100334642/alfred-a.-nichols
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/326th_Bombardment_Squadron
https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/326th-bombardment-squadron-heavy/ 

Alfred A. Nichols never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on February 20, 1918 in New York. His parents Burdette and Ida were also both born in New York. His father did repair work for a garage. He died in 1923. His mother got a job as a bakery servant. Alfred had one older brother 17 years his senior. By 1940 Alfred had completed three years of college and was living as a lodger working as a soda dispenser. I don't know if his mother was alive at that time.

He enlisted in the Army Air Forces on March 9, 1942. He became a second lieutenant and navigator in the 326th Bombardment Squadron, 92nd Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force which was equipped with B-17s. By September 1943 the 326th BS was based in Podington, England where it would operate from for the rest of the war in Europe.

On October 19, 1944 the mission was to bomb the airbase and industrial centers at Mannheim and Rudescheim. During the mission, Lt. Nichols was killed when his plane was hit by flak and a piece hit his head. The planereturned safely without losing any other crewmen.

His grave is at Cortland Rural Cemetery in Cortland, New York.

Thank you Alfred for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Alfred.

Last year on this date I profiled Eugene and Charles Skiles who died on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. You can read about Skiles brothers here.

On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!

I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.

Follow on Twitter @ww2fallen100
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100