Lewis Nixon's Eulogy by Dick Winters
From the USAHEC archive (emphasis are mine):
I first met Lewis Nixon at Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia, in April, 1942.
We both volunteered for the parachute troops in August, 1942 and we were both assigned to Co. E, 2nd Bn., 506th Parachute Infantry at Camp Toombs, Toccoa, Georgia.
We were together for the rest of World War II.
I have many memories of Lewis in combat.
1) On D-day I was involved in a fight to take over a battery of 105mm. cannon, firing on Utah Beach. During the battle Lewis went down Causeway #2 to the beachhead and brought back the first two tanks to come ashore at Utah Beach. He brought them to me to help finish off the battle.
From that point on, it seemed that every time I was committed to a fight, I found Nixon walking beside me.
2) In Holland, on September 17th, 1944, Operation Market Garden, right after the jump, Lewis was by my side as we approached the bridge at Son. The Germans blew the bridge and rocks and pieces of timber fell all around us.
3) On September 22, 191m, Company E was sent out as an advance party to secure Uden, a small town along Hell’s Highway.
I had only 80 men. We were cut off and surrounded. Nixon was with me.
Together, we went up a church tower for better observation of the battle. As we huddled behind the parapet, under the big church bell, a German evidently spotted us and sent a bullet to ring the bell over our heads. We literally jumped down the stairs in about two strides.
4) On September 25, 1944, the Germans cut Hell’s Highway again, this time south of Veghel. Nixon was again beside me as we crossed a big field to relieve the roadblock. In the middle of the field we came under machine gun fire from German Royal Tiger tanks and troops from the 6th German Parachute Regt.
As we hit the dirt, Nixon had a bullet hit the front of his helmet at such an angle that it just grazed his forehead, never breaking the skin, leaving only a brown mark on his forehead, before exiting through the side of his helmet.
l happened to look his way as he took off his helmet, looked at it and smiled. He refused to keep that helmet as a souvenir.
5) On October 5, 1944, in Holland, after a particularly hard fight, again, it was Nixon checking up on me to see how I was doing. It was Nixon who gave me his canteen when I asked for a drink of water - yes, the canteen was full of water - not Vat 69!
6) At Bastogne he had his name drawn out of the hat in a lottery that would have given him a 30 day leave in the States.
He refused the offer, saying he wanted to stay with the outfit on the line. How do you explain that kind of dedication? That kind of dedication is never talked about by the men, but it is never forgotten. At that time we were very short on men and officers, especially good , proven officers.
7) Nixon was moved from the 2nd Bn staff 'to the 506th Regimental staff as S-3, Plans and Training Officer. He was a key man in keeping the regiment together during the biggest battle of World War II at Bastogne.
8) On March 24, 1945, in Operation Varsity, the 17th Airborne jumped across the Rhine as the big push started to cross the Rhine River and go for Berlin. Lewis made that jump as an advisor. The plane he was in was shot down. As jumpmaster, he and three other men made it out before the plane crashed.
9) We were together every step of the way from D—Day to Berchtesgaden, May 8th, V-E Day.
Lewis Nixon was the best combat officer that I had the opportunity to work with under fire. He never at any time showed fear, and during the toughest times he could always think under fire. Very few men can think while under fire; very few men can remain poised under an artillery concentration.
Lewis always trusted me. While we were in training, before combat, Lewis hid his entire inventory of Vat 69 in my footlocker, under the tray holding my socks, beneath my underwear and sweaters. What greater trust, what greater honor could I ask for than to be trusted with his precious inventory of Vat 69?
While sharing all those days and experiences in training and in combat, we also shared our memories of our families, our school days, of our growing up, of our friends at home.
I felt as though I knew his mother, his father, his sister. I knew all about his grandparents on both sides of the family. He had a excellent heritage from both sides. He had been sent to excellent schools, and an Ivy League College. He had great wealth, was good-looking, had an excellent vocabulary, was very well-spoken; he was very well—read, smart, and had a good sense of humor. He had all the ingredients one could ask for to make a happy life - except one factor - LOVE!
Until Lewis met and married Grace he had never found or experienced true love.
It was only after his marriage to Grace that he found true happiness, peace within himself.
Together they travelled to just about every corner of the world; they shared many wonderful experiences together.
Grace demonstrated her love over these past years through her care for Lewis. Without the love and care-of Grace, Lewis would have died many, many years ago.
Whenever Grace would talk to me on the telephone, or write me a letter or a Christmas card, the message was always the same.
"Lewis is so brave; he never complains, he always has a smile for me whenever I come into his room — and that just makes it all worthwhile." I am sure those words are familiar to all of you here today.
I am also sure that all of you will agree with me when I say that with that smile Lewis gave Grace each day, it was his way of saying:
Thank you, Grace, for your care.
Thank you, Grace, for your patience in these trying times..
Thank you, Grace, for being faithful and understanding.
Thank you, Grace, for your love.
