Mr. John Joseph Nichols is the oldest surviving World War II Buffalo Soldier in the state of Virginia and currently resides at Lexington Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center. Born in Colorado Springs, this soldier’s story began as a 17 year old army recruit in 1942. He served during World War II, carrying on the legacy of Buffalo Soldiers before him.
The Buffalo Soldier regiments were some 80 years old when Mr. Nichols joined their ranks. After basic training and clerical school, he was assigned to the 29th Cavalry, Troop C. The cavalry had horses, while the infantry were foot soldiers. “With the infantry you had to learn how to drill and shoot in four different battle formations, in the cavalry you had to learn that, plus you had to learn the mountain tactics and we had distinctive uniforms” explained Nichols.
Some of the highlights from his time as a Buffalo Soldier were serving with his squad leader, the heavyweight champion boxer Joe Louis and the first professional black baseball player Jackie Robinson.
After the war, Mr. Nichols continued his career in the army and took various assignments, including one with the 6487th Heavy Engineer Construction Battalion in Casablanca, North Africa. Mr. Nichols retired from the military in 1964 and spent the next 20 years living in Europe. He and his wife returned to Virginia to be close to their family.
Lexington Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, Richmond