Bryan Nicholas
“I arrived Dec. 6, 1968, and departed Dec. 5, 1969. I was 20 on arrival and about 35 when I left.” -- Bryan Nicholas
Bryan Nicholas grew up in Gardner, MA, and has lived in Hatfield, MA, since 1979. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 19, after dropping out of college due to lack of funds.
Bryan began his year’s tour in Vietnam in December 1968. After a few months’ assignment on Security Patrol with the 45th Military Intelligence Company, while awaiting his top secret security clearance, he served the remainder of his tour as an intelligence analyst with the Targets Group at the Combined Intelligence Center in Saigon.
Bryan was honorably discharged with the rank of Specialist E-5. He has been a member of the Hatfield American Legion Post 344 for 16 years (including a past commander), and has served as Vice Commander for the past 12 years.
*Songs that remind Bryan of his time in Vietnam: All Along the Watchtower, Sympathy for the Devil, Time of the Season, These Eyes
Images courtesy of Bryan Nicholas and the Hatfield Historical Museum.