Most people called
it the “Cold War,” but it was "a hot war for the operators" like Maj.
Arthur D. Nicholson Jr., according to a former Defense Intelligence
Agency agent. Nicholson, a member of the U.S. Military Liaison Mission
(USMLM) to Potsdam, Germany, became one of the last casualties of that
war.
On March 24, 1985, Nicholson and other members of the USMLM team of 14 were on a routine monitoring drive in Ludwigslust, East Germany (northwest of Berlin). The missions had been established by a 1947 U.S.-Soviet agreement that provided for the exchange of intelligence gathering missions.
"He wanted to be out there, and he needed to be out there, close to what he considered the cutting edge," said his commanding officer, then-Col. Roland LaJoie.
The monitoring team was near a garage-like shed when Sgt. Jessie Schatz heard Nicholson cry out, "Jess, I'm shot." A Soviet sentry at the structure had shot the U.S. officer in the chest; Schatz said Soviet soldiers prevented him from approaching and administering first aid. Nicholson died on the site.
The Soviets immediately claimed Nicholson had violated the terms of the 1947 agreement and was in an off-limits area. Later U.S. investigations showed that Nicholson's actions were within the protocol governing USMLM missions.
At a ceremony marking the return of Nicholson's body on March 30,
1985, then-Vice President Bush called him "an outstanding officer
murdered in the line of duty."
Col. LaJoie agreed: "It was not a battle, it was not a fair fight;
he was unarmed, in uniform, in broad daylight…" As Nicholson was buried
on March 31, Secretary of State George Shultz and Soviet Ambassador
Anatoly Dobrynin met to discuss prevention of future incidents.
They took Nicholson's life and death as seriously as that officer
had his work. "He constantly sought ways to increase contacts with
Soviet officers so [we] could get to know each other better," said
LaJoie.
While the Cold War stakes were tragically high for Nicholson, his
mission was not in vain. Less than five years after Nicholson's death,
the Berlin Wall came down on Nov. 9, 1989. For a man of whom his commander
said, "He not only passed the tests, he set the standards," this breakthrough
would have been a victory.
Links:
Berlin's Allied Museum shows photo of U.S. Army, Berlin Nicholson Memorial Library
The "Bridge of Spies," close to the USMLM in Potsdam and used for informant exchanges
Military Intelligence Corps Association
Have a suggestion for an upcoming Military Legend?
Write to militarylegends@military.com.
