It’s the summer of 2006, and Nathan Nicholson is driving from his apartment in Eugene Oregon to a federal prison two hours away in Sheridan to visit his father, Harold James Nicholson, the highest-ranking Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer convicted of spying, and the only person convicted twice of espionage by the US government. While driving Nathan has time to reflect upon a long lost dream. Years earlier, Nathan had aspirations of joining the Army like his father, and becoming a confident Army Ranger. Instead he is a 22-year-old Army washout who failed Ranger training and left the military without ever stepping onto a battlefield. After failing Ranger indoctrination training, Nathan was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at …show more content…
He joined the U.S. Army where he rose to the rank of Captain and worked in intelligence. Nicholson met his future wife in fencing class at Oregon State University. He made a joke about her weight and she blew him off. Nicholson bet his roommate he could win a date with her and he succeeded. Five days after their first date Nicholson asked her to marry him, and after a four month engagement they were married. The couple seemed an odd pair, Laura Sue Nicholson, or Laurie, was more relaxed. The son of an Air Force officer, “Jim” as friends called him, was comfortable with a well-structured life. After his graduation, Nicholson accepted a commission in the Army. His geography degree opened the door for him in intelligence work, and he rose quickly through the ranks. Nicholson served on bases in Kentucky (with the 10st Airborne Division), California, and an overseas assignment to Okinawa. Nicholson left the Army in 1978 shortly after Jeremiah, or Jeremy, was born. Nicholson completed a Masters in counseling and education from University of Maryland, then applied to the …show more content…
Carrying himself as straight out of a Hollywood movie secret agent, Nicholson was a young, handsome, and fit induvial with a taste for expensive suits and a knack taking risks. He show cased his impressive abilities and promising talent early on, earning the nickname Batman for his successful work alongside another young officer who was nicknamed Robin. From 1985 till 1987 he worked for the CIA in Bangkok, from 1987 till 1989 in Tokyo, and from 1990 till 1992, he was the CIA Chief of Station in Bucharest, Romania. Romania in the 1990s was in the early stages of a transition to democracy and although it was not exactly a hotbed of spies, Nicholson went about his business with a zeal others found unnecessary. From 1992 until 1994, Nicholson was the Deputy Chief of Station/Operations Officer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he met with and targeted for recruitment Russian intelligence officers. This is where Nicholson is believed to have been recruited by SVR in the last few months of 1994. From 1994 until July 1996, Nicholson worked as an instructor at the classified CIA's Special Training Center at Camp Peary, Virginia (also known as "The Farm"), teaching CIA trainees’ intelligence tradecraft. In July, 1996, he was assigned as a Branch Chief in the Counterterrorism Center, Directorate of Operations, at CIA Headquarters in
Lawrence Willoughby, an African American male, was born in 1881 in Pitt County, North Carolina. He was the son of Lannie Anderson and X Willoughby. Lawrence married at 22,a woman by the name of Jennie Best on December 20, 1903. Records says that the two married in Pitt County, North Carolina. They had eight children in 13 years. He died on August 4, 1951, in Greenville, North Carolina, at the age of 70.
A University of San Diego professor whose daughter’s disappearance become a recurring factor in his life, has finally gotten the peace he deserves. After approximately five years of three unsolved murders, assailant David Allen Lucas, was convicted and sentenced to death. Lucas was a carpet cleaner from Spring Valley, CA and was 23 when he first committed a murder, but this was not his first time being convicted. In 1973, at the age of 18 Lucas was incarcerated after being convicted of raping a 21-year-old maid who had worked for a family friend.
Adam John Walsh was born on November 14, 1974, he was 6 years old when he was kidnapped and killed. Adam was abducted from a Sears parking lot on July 27, 1981 in Hollywood, Florida. His severed head was found in a drainage canal off of the Florida turnpike two weeks later by 2 fishermen. Adam Walsh’s story was turned into a t.v. show called Adam. 38 million people have watched Adam since it first aired in 1983. Adam’s father, John Walsh, became an advocate for victims of violent crimes and is the host of the television show, America’s Most Wanted. Convicted serial killer, Ottis Toole, confessed to Adam’s murder, but was never convicted.
The book Outlaw Platoon written by Sean Parnell is a soldiers’ tale of his platoon in one of the most dangerous places on earth. This book is a non-fiction riveting work that tells the story of a platoon that spent sixteen months on an operating base in the Bermel Valley, the border of Pakistan. This mission the men were sent on was part of a mission called Operation Enduring Freedom. This book is extremely relevant to the war that we are still fighting in Afghanistan and the humanitarian work that continues. We still have men in this area fighting and losing their lives everyday. It is the focus of ongoing political debates and the purpose of our involvement there is an ongoing question in the minds of many Americans. In writing this book, Parnell makes it clear in his author’s notes that he indeed was not trying to pursue one political agenda over another. His goal as not to speak of all members of the platoon and expose their identities and the types of soldiers they were but instead to showcase some of the men’s bravery and abilities during the war. Parnell believed that he owed it to the men to write something that would show the world what these men go through during combat in an honest and raw account. Another purpose of Parnell’s in writing this book is an attempt at making sure these men are given a place in American war history.
When you think your average baseball player, what do you think of? The player usually has all of his arms, legs, and no physical disabilities. Anyone who plays baseball would think it is hard to imagine that a person born without a right arm is able to play the game and let only be able to be a pitcher. Jim Abbott faces all the odds and has ten-year career in the major leagues. Abbott had to faces many obstacles throughout life and his playing career. Jim Abbott grew up being picked on since he didn’t have a right arm. When Abbott was younger he would use a steel hook as right hand and other children were afraid of him. Also, they called him names like Mr. Hook.
Liam O’Flaherty’s realistic fiction story, “The Sniper,” takes place in Dublin, Ireland, where there is a civil war waging between Republicans and Free Staters. The Republican sniper, who is the main character in the story, is fighting in the civil war for the Republican organization. There are numerous amounts of people who are attempting to assassinate the sniper because of his organization, and his enemies are located all around him waiting patiently until they gain their chance. The Republican sniper, however, leaps before he looks most times, thus leading to severe consequences throughout the story. By using description and suspense, O’Flaherty creates the lesson that actions, without thought, will lead to consequences.
William Clark was ½ of the genius team that made their way through miles of unknown land, unknown nature, unknown natives, and came home with all but one voyager, who was killed of natural causes. William Clark and Meriwether Lewis were the first Americans to try and map the Louisiana Purchase area, and not only did they map it, they discovered allies, new plants and animals, and discovered new land and water routes that could be useful for future travelers.
He had a wife and kids while constantly hopping jobs. In 1988, Nichols had decided to join the U.S. Army. Although he did not get to stay long with his home life falling apart, marriage ruined and then there was conflict with child care. With that happening, he was discharged from the military in 1989 to look after his son Josh. Despite the divorce, Nichols gave marriage a second shot with a young woman of only seventeen.
“Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle,” (John 19:17-18). Jesus Christ’s valiant life was terminated with a horrendous execution. Tom Robinson’s did as well. He lived his life in the name in the name of others, helping everyone that he could, going out of his way to save people, even Judas, who would betray him. Tom did this aswell, constantly assisting Mayella, she who would betray him in court. Jesus had followers who believed in his message, just as Tom had believers in his innocence. Jesus and his followers would face persecution, just as Tom and hisi believers would. The judgements and death sentences of Jesus and Tom would make them become martyrs. The Martyrdoms would be essential for their causes. Many aspects of Tom Robinson’s life and death
James Nachtwey was born on March 14, 1948 in Syracuse, New York. He was a war photographer. The civil war was an inspiration for him to create photographs of war zones. James had happened to be in New York September 11, 2001, when the towers fell to ruble. He felt awkward being in cities, he often felt he needed to be on an assignment, taking photographs and documenting conflicts and what not. That morning he sat in his loft drinking his morning coffee while looking out upon the Brooklyn Bridge and crystal-clear sky the bluest he ever saw in a long time. A conditional piolet would call it "severe clear". The Bridge was golden lit from behind. The water taking on the angel like color of the sun as the light spread across the surface. From the
Clancy grew up with interests and intentions surrounding the military. He was born Thomas Leo Clancy, Jr. (“Tom” Web) on April 12, 1947 (Lansford 381) in Baltimore, Maryland (Byers 70). His parents both had occupations; his father was a mail carrier and his mother was a credit manager. Growing up, Clancy had a love for reading as he often read (“Tom” Web). He enjoyed reading science fiction and military related books (Lansford 382).
“ You can’t handle the truth! Son we live in a world that has walls, and those have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it you, you Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury, you have the luxury of not knowing what I know, that Santiago's death while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence while grotesque and incomprehensible, to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you talk about parties; you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall! We use words like honor, code, loyalty, We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something, you use them as a punch line.
When Joe Darby first saw the images on those photos of Iraqi prisoners being tortured and abused by not just his fellow soldiers but by people he had known since high school he was torn between two choices. Those choices for Joe were, should he do or say nothing to protect his friends or should he do what was ethically correct. He chose the latter; “I knew that some people wouldn't agree with what I did... They view it as - I put American soldiers in prison over Iraqis (Joe Darby, 2004)” The photos showed Iraqi prisoners naked and posed in sexually suggestive ways. Some of the Iraqis in the photos were dead. Joe knew what was happening in these photos were wrong but because of the fear of repercussions it took him three weeks to turn them over and only after he was promised anonymity. He felt that was the end of it and he could go on doing his job. When the accused soldiers were removed he st...
Why was Mac Miller so influential? Mac Miller was influential because of the type of music he made and how people related to it in many different ways. First, Mac Miller started his career at the age of 14 under his first rap name, Easy Mac. He released his first mixtape “ But My Mackin ain't Easy” in 2007.
Tim O’Brien experiences war’s impact on his mental health, where he feels guilt and shame that leads him to mix fact and fiction. “I was a coward” (O’Brien, 65). As can be seen in the book, O’Brien