OLYMPIA, Wash. — An Army veteran who served her country in three wars spent Veterans Day thanking others for their service.
“Thank you for all you did,” retired Army Lt. Col. Barbara Nichols said during a Vietnam veterans event at the state Capitol Friday.
Nichols, who turned 100 in August, served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
She received a Bronze Star after her service as an Army nurse in Vietnam. She retired in 1969 as a lieutenant colonel. It was the highest achievable rank for a woman at the time.
As a teen she helped build Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers and later joined the Cadet Nurse Corps. She worked as a nurse in field hospitals in South Korea and Vietnam.
She has trouble speaking somedays and she attributes that to her exposure to Agent Orange, the toxic herbicide sprayed by Americans in Vietnam.
“It still affects me,” said Nichols, who said she has no regrets for her years of service.
“The military has helped me a great deal. And I'm very glad and very proud of being in the military,” said Nichols, who still enjoys attending military events.
In 2017, she got to raise the Seahawks “12th Man” flag before a Seahawks game.
On Friday, she received a letter from President Joe Biden, who said, “We remain forever indebted to you.”
Nichols said her service in the military enabled her to travel the world. Germany was her favorite post.
Nichols was born in California but she moved to Washington state after her father was stationed at Fort Lewis. She has spent most of her retirement in Lacey.