My Present Past
A genealogical experience
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Alan Lamotte Nichols


    Born: May 06, 1894 in Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois
    Died: August 17, 1918 in Torino (Turin), Italy
    Father: Clifford Lamotte Nichols  born: November 30, 1856  died: May 12, 1929
    Mother: Mabel Ellen Frans  born: September 20, 1858  died: January 09, 1947
Alan Lamotte Nichols was the fourth child born to Clifford Lamotte and Mabel Ellen (Frans) Nichols. He
enrolled at Michigan University in 1915 to become an engineer. He enlisted in the United States Army Air
Service in 1917. It is thought he went to Florida for initial training and then went to France in March, 1917.
He was assigned to the Pau Aviation School in Pau, France on November 10, 1917.
Pau Aviation School
1917 Pau Aviation School
1910 Census Alan Nichols
1900 Census Alan Nichols
Alan was assigned to the United States Army Air Service Headquarters in Milano, Italy sometime in 1918.
On August 14th, 1918 he and co-pilot Terres along with Mechanic Hartle were under orders to take a Caproni
600hp biplane #11570 from the Caproni factory in Taliedo, Italy, via Torino (Turin) Italy and then fly through
the French Alps and on to Paris, France. Tragically, after leaving the Fiat plant in Torino (Turin) Italy on August
17th, 1918, Alan's plane crashed killing everyone on board.
Gorrell's History of the A.E.F.
Milano Headquarters Page 01
Gorrell's History of the A.E.F.
Milano Headquarters Page 02a
Gorrell's History of the A.E.F.
Milano Headquarters Page 02
Gorrell's History of the A.E.F.
Milano Headquarters Page 03
Above and Left:
Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service
1917-1919

Below Left:
Letter to Clifford Nichols informing him of Alan's accident

Below:
Newspaper clips from Sadie's collection about Alan
Left:
1920 Thanksgiving Day Memorial for
Alan Nichols, Cyrus Thurston Dorr,
Marshall G. Peabody and George Squires
at the Church Of St. John The Evangelist
in St. Paul, Minnesota

Below:
August 22, 1918
Atlanta Constitution