Dave was smart and industrious.  He could have found a way to circumvent serving his country; but, he choose to serve and paid the ultimate price.  I will always remember him as a team mate and friend.  He made it cool to be a hard worker in the classroom as well as in the pool.

   My fond memories are the hours with Dave on the '62 swim team.  A correction from above -- Dave kicked home the state championship MEDLEY relay, with the Sheik, TT, & wa-Touc; the winning freestyle relay was CMcG, KK, JB, & SE.  Besides the sweaty walls of the natatorium, I'll remember our frantic round-robin weekend ping-pong games with Dave and Eddie Weil.     It is so true -- the Good die way too young.

LJG. Dave Nicholas
One of the first to go.  The good die young, yet that repulses him.  He captures the moment; he embraces life as it comes.  No doubt he is smart going to Dartmouth.   An athletic member of the Mt. Lebanon swim team on the state winning freestyle relay and member of the number one swim team in the state for his 4 years in high school number 3 swim team in the nation, and member of the swim team for 4 years at Dartmouth.
After college he volunteered for the Navy and went to OCS.  The following is his carrier bio from the Navy?
David Lamprey Nicholas
Lieutenant junior grade
PERSONAL DATA
  Home of Record:  Pittsburgh, PA
  Date of birth:   02/05/1944
 
MILITARY DATA
  Service:         United States Navy
  Grade at loss:   O2
  Rank:            Lieutenant junior grade
  ID No:           165364993
  MOS:             1105: Unrestricted Line Officer (Surface Warfare)
  Length Service:  03
  Unit:            SEAL TEAM 1, TF 116, USNAVFORV
 
CASUALTY DATA
  Start Tour:      12/15/1968
  Incident Date:   10/17/1969
  Casualty Date:   10/17/1969
  Age at Loss:     25
  Location:        An Xugen Province, South Vietnam
  Remains:         Body recovered
  Casualty Type:   Hostile, died outright
  Casualty Reason: Ground casualty
  Casualty Detail: Gun or small arms fire
 
URL: www.VirtualWall.org/dn/NicholasDL01a.htm
 
ON THE WALL        Panel 17W Line 087
 




















 
A true hero buried at Arrington National Cemetery, is a friend, who tried to be a tough guy but had deep feelings.  Nick, Tomass, Grabass and I walked to school together much of the time.  Not enough room to describe the real Nick, his stories, his feelings, those who interacted with him, and have been enriched by his karma.   There are many who still morn, yet think of him, in the present.   Woefully inadequate are and attempts to define Dave.