World War II Honoree

Lynn 'Lenny' Nicola

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Bismarck, North Dakota

Honored By

Mark Jon Erickson

Relationship

Cousin

He joined U.S Army Air Corps in 1943. His active service began on June 12th, 1943. He received his Armament training at Lowery Field in Aurora and Denver, Colorado and his Gunnery training at Kingman Army Air Force Gunnery School in the Mohave Desert in Arizona in 1943 and 1944. He attained the rank of Sergeant in mid 1944, and continued his training as a gunner on Heavy Bombers, specifically the B-17. He was assigned to the 15th Air Force in the Province of Foggia, Italy at Lucera Airfield in January of 1945. He began as a Belly Turret Gunner on a B-17 and eventually switched to the Waist Gunner position. He and his crew served with the 301st Bombardment Group and flew their combat missions with the 32nd Squadron. In 1944-1945, the 301st Bombardment Group supported ground forces in the Anzio and Cassino areas during the invasion of Southern France, and knocked out targets to assist the Russian advance in the Balkans. The 301st also aided the Allied drive through the Po Valley. He completed his tour of combat flying in July of 1945. He was awarded for his time in the Air Corps with an Air Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon, the American Theater Campaign Medal, the WWII Victory Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. He was honorably discharged from the Air Corps on November 27th, 1945. He returned to his hometown of Bismarck, North Dakota.