Franklin Nichols was born on April 18, 1918, in Holdenville, Oklahoma. After graduating from Washington & Lee University, he entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Corps on September 11, 1940. Nichols was commissioned a 2d Lt and was awarded his pilot wings at Kelly Field, Texas, on April 26, 1941, and then served with the 6th Pursuit Squadron of the 18th Pursuit Group at Wheeler Field, Hawaii, from April 1941 to January 1942. He then transferred to the 44th Pursuit Squadron where he served until August 1942, when he joined the 7th Fighter Squadron of the 49th Fighter Group in New Guinea. Nichols was credited with destroying 4 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 1 probable and 1 damaged, all while flying the P-40 Warhawk, before transitioning to the P-38 Lightning and becoming Commander of the 431st Fighter Squadron of the 475th Fighter Group in June 1943. Maj Nichols commanded the 431st FS until January 1944, and during this time he destroyed his 5th enemy aircraft in aerial combat. His next assignment was on the staff of 5th Fighter Command in New Guinea from January 1944 to April 1945, followed by service with the 310th Bomb Wing in the Philippines from April to June 1945. He served as Deputy Commander of the 372nd Fighter Group at Alexandria, Virginia, from October to December 1945, and then as Deputy Commander of the 362nd Fighter Group and then the 20th Fighter Group at Biggs Field, Texas, from December 1945 to November 1947. Col Nichols' next assignment was as a liaison officer on the Inter-American Defense Board from November 1947 to August 1950, followed by Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Virginia, from August 1950 to February 1951. He served as an instructor at the Naval War College from February 1951 to June 1953, and then was Commander of the 532nd Tactical Control Group at Otis AFB, Massachusetts, from September 1953 to January 1954. Col Nichols next served as Executive Officer for the 388th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Clovis AFB, New Mexico, from January to November 1954, followed by service as Commander of the Wing when it moved to Etain-Rouvres AB, France, from November 1954 to January 1955. He served with the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Sembach AB, West Germany, from January 1955 to August 1958, followed by service as an Air Force Advisor to the California Air National Guard from August 1958 to July 1960. His next assignment was as Director of Operations for the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and Deputy for Operations of the 837th Air Division at Shaw AFB, South Carolina, from July 1960 to February 1963, and then Deputy for Operations for the U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Reconnaissance Center at Shaw AFB from February 1963 to March 1964. Gen Nichols was Commander of the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Homestead AFB, Florida, from March 1964 to June 1965, and then Commander of the 833rd Air Division at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, until June 1966. He then deployed to Southeast Asia as Chief of Staff for 7th Air Force at Tan Son Nhut AB in the Republic of Vietnam from June 1966 to November 1967, followed by service as Commander of the Ground Electronics Engineering Installation Agency at Griffiss AFB, New York, from November 1967 until his retirement from the Air Force on June 1, 1970.