William Flynt Nichols
| William Flynt Nichols | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 3rd district | |
|
In office January 3, 1973 – December 13, 1988 | |
| Preceded by | Elizabeth B. Andrews |
| Succeeded by | Glen Browder |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 4th district | |
|
In office January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1973 | |
| Preceded by | Glenn Andrews |
| Succeeded by | Tom Bevill |
| Member of the Alabama State Senate | |
|
In office 1963-1967 | |
| Member of the Alabama House of Representatives | |
|
In office 1959-1963 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
October 16, 1918 Monroe County, Mississippi |
| Died |
December 13, 1988 (aged 70) Washington, D.C. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Auburn University |
William Flynt "Bill" Nichols (October 16, 1918 – December 13, 1988) was a Democratic member of United States House of Representatives from Alabama, having served from 1967 until his death from a heart attack in Washington, D.C. in 1988.
Education
Nichols received a bachelor's degree in Agriculture in 1939 from the Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University) and a master's degree in Agronomy from the same institution in 1941.
Military service
Nichols enlisted in the United States Army in 1942 and served five years in the European Theatre. He was wounded at the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, losing a leg in a land mine explosion. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart, and retired with the rank of Captain in 1947.[1]
Service in the Alabama Legislature
Prior to his congressional service, he served over an eight-year period in both houses of the Alabama Legislature, having been elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1959 and the Alabama Senate in 1963.
Congressional service
A strong supporter of Alabama's George Wallace, Nichols unseated freshman Republican U.S. Representative Arthur Glenn Andrews in the 1966 general election, while Wallace's wife, Lurleen Burns Wallace was handily winning the governorship.
Nichols defeated Andrews again in 1970. He was elected to eleven terms.
In 1986, with retiring Republican U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, Nichols co-authored the Goldwater-Nichols Act, the far-reaching reorganization of the United States Department of Defense command structure. Glenn Andrews initially won the Alabama House seat that Nichols held for nearly a generation while Andrews was running on the 1964 Goldwater-Miller presidential ticket.
Nichols died of a heart attack on December 13, 1988.
References
- ↑ "Rep. Bill Nichols, 70; Led Pentagon Inquiry". New York Times. December 14, 1988.
External links
- United States Congress. "William Flynt Nichols (id: N000095)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- Alabama Academy of Honor: William Flynt Nichols
- William Flynt Nichols at Find a Grave
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Glenn Andrews |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 4th congressional district 1967–1973 |
Succeeded by Tom Bevill |
| Preceded by Elizabeth B. Andrews |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 3rd congressional district 1973–1988 |
Succeeded by Glen Browder |