Lewis Nixon

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Nixon's military journey began when he volunteered to be drafted into the Army on January 14, 1941, at Trenton, New Jersey. After OCS graduation as an infantry second lieutenant, he joined the fledgling airborne forces and was assigned to E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR under Colonel Robert Sink. He trained at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, and Fort Benning before deploying to Aldbourne, Wiltshire, in September 1943. As the battalion intelligence officer (S2), he parachuted into Normandy on June 6, 1944. Following the Battle of Carentan on June 12, 1944, he moved up to regimental S2, serving across the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. His time in the Netherlands was marked by a close call where a German MG 42 bullet pierced his helmet, grazing his forehead and leaving a burn mark. Despite holding high visibility roles, Nixon developed an alcohol use issue and was reassigned as the battalion operations officer (S3), allowing him to continue planning without regimental politics.

In Their Own Story

On March 24, 1945, Major General Maxwell Taylor assigned Nixon to observe Operation Varsity with the 17th Airborne Division. His plane suffered a direct hit during the airborne crossing of the river Rhine; only Nixon and three others survived the crash. This event made him one of the few men in the 101st Airborne to jump with another division and earn three Combat Jump Stars on his wings. In Berchtesgaden, he selected from an extensive wine collection originally assembled by Hermann Göring, which contained bottles stolen from wineries across occupied Europe. Throughout these campaigns, Nixon was known for always having a source of whisky, specifically the blended brand Vat 69. He ended World War II with the rank of captain and returned to the United States in September 1945, carrying the physical scars of his service, including the burn mark on his forehead.

Reader's Guide

Lewis Nixon's post-war life was defined by recovery and family. After returning from Europe, he worked at the Nixon Nitration Works in Edison (then Raritan Township), New Jersey, alongside his father Stanhope and friend Dick Winters. His personal life saw turbulence; after a failed marriage to Katharine Page in 1941, he found stability with Grace Umezawa in 1956. Grace had been a student during the 1942 incarceration of Japanese Americans ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt. Richard Winters served as best man at their wedding. It was during this marriage that Nixon overcame his alcoholism. The couple had no children. Nixon died on January 11, 1995, in Los Angeles from complications of diabetes. At Grace's request, Dick Winters delivered the eulogy, joined by Easy Company veterans Clarence Hester and Bob Brewer.

Did You Know?

• Lewis Nixon never fired a shot in combat, despite spending much time on the front lines during intense close fighting.
• He was one of the few men in the 101st Airborne to jump with another division, serving as an observer for the 17th Airborne Division during Operation Varsity.
• Nixon's plane took a direct hit during Operation Varsity, and he was one of only four survivors from that specific aircraft.
• He famously selected wine from Hermann Göring's captured collection in Berchtesgaden but is most remembered for his love of Vat 69 whisky.
• His third wife, Grace Umezawa, was a student during the 1942 incarceration of Japanese Americans ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt.

Early Life and Pre-War Foundations

Lewis Nixon III was born to Stanhope Wood Nixon and Doris Ryer Nixon on September 30, 1918, in New York City. He was the grandson of shipbuilder Lewis Nixon I (1861–1940) and Sally Wood Nixon (died 1937). His childhood included living in New York City and Montecito, California, as well as extensive travel to Germany, France, and England. At age seven, on May 22, 1926, he placed third in a model yacht regatta at Conservatory Lake in Central Park, earning gold and bronze medals in the 35-inch boat class. He graduated from Cate School in Carpinteria and attended Yale University for two years before his military service began.

Military Service and Combat Experience

Nixon entered service on January 14, 1941, at Trenton, New Jersey. He volunteered for the parachute infantry after OCS training as a second lieutenant. Assigned to E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, he trained at Camp Toccoa and Fort Benning before deploying to England in September 1943. As battalion S2, he jumped into Normandy on June 6, 1944. After the Battle of Carentan (June 12, 1944), he became regimental S2. He served in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, surviving a bullet from a German MG 42 that pierced his helmet and grazed his forehead. Later, as an observer with the 17th Airborne Division during Operation Varsity on March 24, 1945, his plane took a direct hit; he was one of only four survivors. He earned three Combat Jump Stars.

Personal Struggles and Post-War Recovery

The pressures of command led Nixon to develop a drinking problem, resulting in his reassignment from regimental S2 back to battalion operations officer (S3). This move reduced his political visibility while he continued planning. He returned home in September 1945 as a captain. His first marriage to Katharine Page in 1941 failed. In 1956, he married Grace Umezawa; she had been a student during the 1942 incarceration of Japanese Americans. Richard Winters was the best man at their wedding. During this marriage, Nixon overcame his alcoholism. They had no children.

Legacy and Cultural Immortality

Nixon worked at the family's Nixon Nitration Works in New Jersey after the war. He died on January 11, 1995, in Los Angeles from diabetes complications. His funeral was attended by Clarence Hester and Bob Brewer of Easy Company, with Dick Winters delivering the eulogy. In popular culture, he is remembered for his love of Vat 69 whisky, as noted in Stephen E. Ambrose's *Band of Brothers* and the HBO miniseries where Ron Livingston portrayed him. Grace Nixon attended a farewell party for Livingston before filming, ensuring an authentic portrayal.