The Story of Captain Lewis Nixon III

Lewis Nixon III has become one of the most renowned men in World War II's Allied invasion of Europe.

As a member of the 101st Airborne Division, he parachuted into Nazi-occupied France and participated in attacks such as the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Market Garden to aid in the defeat of the Axis in Europe.

Lewis Nixon served under Richard Winters, whom he met in cadet training, as depicted in HBO's Band of Brothers. They quickly became close, despite the fact that they were very different in some important aspects. Winters had never left Pennsylvania before Basic Training and had never drank, whereas Nixon was a hard-drinking, well-traveled Ivy Leaguer.

But these disparate men survived some of Europe's most brutal battles and formed a relationship that lasted long after the war ended.

“I still regard Lewis Nixon as the best combat officer who I had the opportunity to work with under fire,” Winters said. “He never showed fear, and during the toughest times he could always think clearly and quickly.”

Lewis Nixon's Childhood

Lewis Nixon was born in New York City on September 30, 1918. He was the oldest of three siblings.

In his early years, Nixon spent his time between Montecito, California, and New York City. He also took extended trips abroad, visiting Germany, France, and England. Nixon attended Yale University for two years after earning his diploma from the Cate School in Santa Barbara.

Nixon, who is super smart, graduated from the Cate School in Santa Barbara and later got admission to study in Yale University. He spent two years there studying, but ultimately, life had other ideas. He enlisted in the American Army on January 14, 1941, in Trenton, New Jersey, not long after marrying his first wife. His whole life changed forever.

War Preparations

The newlywed soldier attended Camp Croft in South Carolina for Basic Training before the year was over. They would only cross paths in the Army Officer Cadet School at Fort Benning in Georgia, where Richard Winters had already done the same. Before briefly splitting up, both men had achieved the rank of Second Lieutenant.

Nixon had been sent to Fort Ord in California to work with the Military Police. He reunited with Winters after deciding to volunteer with the Paratroopers. Both met Herbert Sobel while serving at Camp Toccoa in Georgia in Company E, 2nd Battalion (also known as Easy Company) of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

Sobel was 1st lieutenant and in charge of Easy Company's airborne training, as seen in the movie; Band of Brothers. They were among the first American soldiers to get it. By October 1942, Winters had been promoted to First Lieutenant, and Nixon had been appointed commander of the 2nd Platoon due to Sobel's harsh leadership.

The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment was sent to Aldbourne, England, in September 1943 to be ready for the invasion of Normandy.

Invasion Of Normandy

On June 6, 1944, the Allied Invasion of Normandy started early in the morning. Beginning at dawn, nearly 160,000 Allied soldiers would cross the English Channel into France, and organizations like the 101st Airborne Division were tasked with securing crucial landing areas in advance of their entry.

Around one in the morning, Winters parachuted into Normandy but misplaced his rifle in the process. When he discovered that the aerial headquarters of Easy Company had been destroyed, he was able to find his battalion and take command. Alongside 13 other men, h e spearheaded an assault on 50 Nazis firing artillery at important Utah Beach exits.

His strategy, which became known as the Brécourt Manor Assault, would be taught at West Point for many years. He took out a chart showing German coastal defense sites from this location. Nixon found Winters after parachuting into Normandy.

Numerous more Allied lives may have been lost during the Normandy invasion without the service of these two soldiers. Winters was given the promotion to Captain, and Battalion headquarters was so appreciative of the information that they sent the first two tanks to land safely on Utah Beach in order to locate and help the 101st.

Operation Market Garden, a campaign to retake Holland from the Nazis, saw Easy Company parachute into the town of Son in September. Here, Nixon came dangerously close to being killed when a stray bullet struck his helmet, grazing his head before exiting from the opposite side.

While Nixon was promoted to Captain and Regimental S-2, his drunkenness caused him to be demoted before the war ended. His wife divorced him through telegram, and his hangovers became increasingly incapacitating.

Nonetheless, Nixon fought valiantly in important battles such as the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne, Belgium. In December 1944, he and Winters defended Allied positions against 15 German divisions that had encircled the 101st Airborne for nearly a week.

Easy Company had gradually encroached on Germany after battling across France, Holland, and Belgium. On April 28, 1945, Lewis Nixon and Dick Winters arrived at the Kaufering IV concentration camp in Landsberg am Lech, Bavaria, to witness the human atrocities firsthand.

The 12th Armored Division had arrived the day before, but Nixon, Winters, and the 101st Airborne Division were confronted with 500 burnt corpses still strewn across the battlefield. Uniformed captives walked around on shaky feet, and Nixon and Winters took a moment to realize what kind of facility they had discovered.

Aware of the approaching Allied soldiers, Nazi authorities set fire to the camp barracks, leaving the starving residents to die.

Adolf Hitler committed suicide two days later. Winters was promoted to Major eight days later and given orders to retake Berchtesgaden, the dictator's "Eagle's Nest" in the alps. On May 5, Easy Company did just that, uncovering Hitler's stolen wine collection. Winters gave Nixon first dibs on the find.