Tuesday, March 14, 2000
Veteran pleads guilty to lying
Man had claimed he was war hero
BY PERRY BROTHERS
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A former Amelia police chief who crafted an elaborate tale of Vietnam War heroism pleaded guilty to related charges in federal court Monday.
Donald R. “Nick” Nicholson faces up to 18 months in prison and $105,000 in fines for unlawful use of a false military discharge certificate and unauthorized wearing of military medals and decorations.
The 63-year-old Amelia man was released on bond until a presentencing investigation is completed. Sentencing is expected within two to three months, according to the office of the U.S. attorney, Southern District of Ohio.
The U.S. attorney ordered an FBI investigation into Mr. Nicholson's past last spring, after he confessed to The Cincinnati Enquirer that he had faked his war record and used false information to stage a Feb. 7 medal presentation ceremony.
Other Vietnam veterans raised questions about Mr. Nicholson's past after the Enquirer ran an article about the ceremony — during which a National Guard I-147th armored battalion commander at the Hartwell armory pinned the nation's second-highest military honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, on Mr. Nicholson's fatigues.
Mr. Nicholson had given National Guard officials a stack of counterfeit military papers and asked them to present the award to him. There was no order or citation included with the award.
The top paper in the stack was from U.S. Rep. Rob Portman's office, which led the officials to think the Terrace Park congressman was involved. He was not. The form was a stan dard request form that veterans may use for help in obtaining medals.
An investigation by the Enquirer revealed that Mr. Nicholson had never been in the Army and was working as a security guard at the time he had claimed to be a prisoner of war.
When the Enquirer confronted him with a resume he had submitted for the Amelia police chief's position — which placed him in Florida when he claimed to be in Vietnam (1968-72) — Mr. Nicholson admitted he had lied.
He was honored several times for his work as Amelia police chief from 1982 to 1986. He did serve in the Navy from 1964 to 1968 but never in Vietnam.
In his tearful confession, Mr. Nicholson told the Enquirer that he had paid a stranger named “Noble” for the papers and medals. He said the stranger told him he could get increased veterans benefits if he staged the ceremony at the armory.
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