Alan Hammond Nichols was born on January 7, 1897, in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, Michigan. He was the son of Walter H. and Esther Connor Nichols. He volunteered for the American Field Service on February 14, 1917, serving with Section Fourteen until July 23, 1917. He then enlisted in the French Aviation Service, training at Avord, Tours, Pau, and Plessis-Belleville. Eventually assigned to Spad Escadrille 85 as a Sergeant, he flew combat missions and was awarded the Croix de Guerre with two palms for valor, with two official German planes to his credit.

Sgt Nichols was injured in an aerial combat on June 2, 1918, in France and died the following day in a French military hospital. He is now buried in the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial, Marnes-la-Coquette, Departement des Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France, France.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com