Military Order of the Purple Heart Lays a Forgotten Hero to Rest

For Tulsa, Oklahoma, Memorial Day is a very special day of remembrance. 

As communities all across America assemble to honor their sons and daughters who gave their lives in the defense of their nation, the citizens of Tulsa will assemble along the Avenue of Flags in Floral Haven Cemetery to honor those veterans who died while serving in the Armed Forces.

On May 23, 2009, Tulsa will once again honor those Veterans who rest peacefully among the beautiful, tree lined walks that lead to Floral Haven’s Veteran’s Field of Honor.  Those who come may pause at the Medal of Honor Court, where they can read bronze copies of the Congressional Medal of Honor citations of each Oklahoman who received this special decoration. 

The Avenue of Flags began in 1972, when a widow brought in her husband's government issued casket flag and asked that Floral Haven fly it over the Memorial Day weekend.  Last year there were 2,618 casket flags flying, each with an tag identifying the Veteran, that were donated by the Veterans' families to grace the cemetery’s grounds for this event.  This year, 2,749 flags will be flying. 

At this particular Memorial Day ceremony, Tulsa will pause to pay tribute to a very special Veteran who was long forgotten.  Thanks to the diligent efforts of a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Don Clapsaddle, Chief of Staff for the Department of Oklahoma, Tulsa will honor a lost and forgotten hero.

On February 1, 1968, U.S. Army Specialist Warren A. Nicholls, then only 20 years old and a Light Infantryman assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, was gravely wounded and subsequently paralyzed when his Company came under attack by a unit of Viet Cong.  In an instant, his Army service came to an abrupt end. 

After extensive medical treatment, Specialist Nicholls was discharged and returned home to Fort Worth, Texas knowing that he would forever be confined to a wheelchair.  Using his GI Bill benefits, he attended Texas Christian University to get an undergraduate degree but, unable to care for himself, Warren moved back home with his mother, Vivian Nicholls, so that she could help care for him.

Then, on February 26, 1987, Warren Nicholls died, presumably from causes related to his war injuries.  His mother had his remains cremated and attempted to have her son buried in Arlington National Cemetery; unfortunately, he apparently was not eligible, and she never had his ashes interred. 

Soon thereafter Mrs. Nicholls herself died, and she too was cremated.  With no known relatives, a neighbor and friend, Mary Medlin, could not afford the expense of a funeral so she placed the ashes of both Vivian and Warren in a foot locker.  Mrs. Medlin also placed Warren’s uniform, boots, some old travel orders and other identification in the foot locker and, on top, she placed Warren’s Purple Heart Medal.  Some years later, Mrs. Medlin moved from Fort Worth to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, bringing the foot locker with her. 

In 2008, John Belding, owner of the Hitching Post Antique Store in Broken Arrow, purchased an unopened foot locker in a garage sale for $5.00.  Upon opening the trunk the following day, he discovered the ashes of this forgotten GI and those of his mother, some personal effects and Specialist Nicholls’ Purple Heart.  Upon finding the Purple Heart, Mr. Belding contacted an old friend and Purple Heart Veteran Don Clapsaddle, to inform him of his find.  Without much to go on, Don sought the assistance of sought the assistance of the Department of Veteran Affairs to locate Specialist Nicholls’ discharge papers. 

Finally, Clapsaddle sought the assistance of another friend, Mark Blankenship, who just happened to be the General Manager of the Floral Haven Cemetery.  He proposed that they recognize Patriot Nicholls with a proper military funeral.  After hearing Clapsaddle’s story, Blankenship and his Director of Community Relations, Steve Moeller, both insisted that Nicholls should receive more than a simple funeral.

When Specialist Nicholls is finally laid to rest on May 23, 2009, he will have a special place in the Floral Haven Field of Honor.  A special monument, in the form of a red granite bench, will be placed at the foot of a giant American Flag that flies 24/7.  The ashes of Warren Nicholls will be incorporated within the bench that will bear a bronze plaque identifying this forgotten brother, explaining the reason he was misplaced for 22 years, and forgotten until now. 

After this Memorial Day, thanks to Tulsa Chapter 589, Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Floral Haven Cemetery, Specialist Warren Nicholls will nevermore be known as the FORGOTTEN GI. All Veterans and interested Tulsa residents are encouraged to participate in this special patriotic event. 

In support of this ceremony, on Friday, members of the Junior ROTC will assist in raising the donated casket flags. Throughout the weekend, members of the Civil Air Patrol Cadets will reenact the Changing of the Guard at a replica of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  The Boy Scouts of America have taken on the task of lowering and folding each casket flag on Monday evening to conclude the Memorial Day observance, with more than 1,000 scouts participating in this special program.   The U.S. Army Band from Ft. Sill will provide music, and Oklahoma Adjutant General Myles Deering will be the guest speaker for the ceremony.

For more information about the ceremony, please contact Flora Haven Cemetery at 918-252-2518.  The Cemetery is located at 6500 So. 129th East Ave., Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) is unique among Veteran Service Organizations in that all its members were wounded in combat. For this sacrifice, they were awarded the Purple Heart Medal. With grants from the MOPH Service Foundation, the MOPH and its Ladies Auxiliary promote Patriotism, Fraternalism, and the Preservation of America's Military History. Most importantly, they provide comfort and assistance to all Veterans and their families, especially those requiring claims assistance with the VA, those who are homeless, and those requiring employment assistance.  MOPH volunteers provide assistance to Hospitalized veterans at VA sites and State Veterans Homes
For information about the MOPH contact either:

Department of Oklahoma Chief of Staff, Don Clapsaddle, 918-449-1441
or
National Public Relations Director, John Bircher, 352-753-5535
Email: PublicRelations@Purpleheart.org
Web: www.purpleheart.org