Written by
Lieutenant Nicolls, Vernon O., American, 1909 - 2003
Subject of
Nicolls, Charles Oswald, American, 1885 - 1956
Nicolls, Margaret Neblett, American, 1886 - 1976
Fort Knox, American, founded 1918
Date
February 8, 1944
Medium
ink on paper
Dimensions
L x W (Unfolded): 10 3/4 × 7 1/8 in. (27.3 × 18.1 cm)
H x W x D (Folded): 3 5/8 × 6 1/16 × 1/16 in. (9.2 × 15.4 × 0.2 cm)
Caption
Vernon Nicolls was born in Barbados in 1909 to Charles and Margaret Nicolls and immigrated to the U.S. in 1915. During World War II, while living in Brooklyn, Nicolls enlisted as a Private in the Army at Fort Jay on Governor's Island, New York, in 1942. He later attended Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where he wrote his parents this letter. After graduating from OCS, Nicolls received his commission as a Lieutenant and served in Italy with the 758th Tank Battalion, the Army's first African American armored unit.
Description
Folded letter sent by Lt. Vernon O. Nicolls to his parents, Charles and Margaret Nicolls. The letter folds into an envelope. The front side of the folded letter has handwritten text in black ink with information for both sender and recipients. There is also a circular postmark stamp in the top center, in black ink, that reads [FORT KNOX / FEB 9 / 12 M / 1944 / KY] with a stamped wavy line cancellation to the right. The back of folded letter is blank but the seal flap is still attached. The unfolded letter is handwritten in black ink on letterhead featuring the Armored Forces insignia, a yellow, blue, and red triangle outlined in black with a black illustration of a cannon barrel, tank track, and wheels, covered by a red lightning bolt. Below the insignia is blue type that reads, [THE ARMORED FORCE / FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY] in the top, center of the page. The letter is dated [8-FEB-1944 / TUESDAY NIGHT] and features three (3) paragraphs of text.
Place made
Fort Knox, Kentucky, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Documents and Manuscripts
Type
letters (correspondence)
Topic
Education
Families
Military
World War II
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kay L. Nicolls
Object number
2014.142.10
Restrictions & Rights
© Estate of Vernon O. Nicolls
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd57314ae3f-b262-4cba-b033-c197a8ab49b0

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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