This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Tommy Burgdorf (Birddog), FC2
to remember
Brooks, Nicholas George, LCDR.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Newburgh, NY
Last Address Newburgh, NY
Casualty Date Jan 02, 1970
Cause MIA-Finding of Death
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Laos
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
This Veterans' Day is perhaps more poignant since my husband and I spent two weeks in Vietnam and Laos last February. Today I opened a 40 year old scrapbook and took out the letter that Nick Brooks wrote to me in October, 1968.
My name is Phyllis Ensign Harding, and my grandparents (Harold and Jennie Ensign) owned the beach house near Deception Pass that Nick rented in 1968. I spent the summers of my teenage years with my grandparents whose house was behind Nick's, and my "job" that year was to paint the beach house. I was 17 years old, just a kid, but Nick and I became friends sharing long summer days of talking and skipping stones on the water.
Nick had a sketch pad to which I evidently added some creative cartooning when he wasn't looking. This is mentioned in this letter he had my grandmother mail to me in the fall after I went back home to Kent, Washington:
Hi - Feeling somewhat artistic tonight, I opened my sketch pad for the first time in quite awhile, and uncovered some very unflattering mischief! Actually, it's quite good, and I do appreciate it, Phyllis. The sun is seldom strong enough to warm the North winds that blow in now, and no longer do I find willowy, long-haired girls splashing paint all over my humble home - but little else has changed.
I hope this note finds all of your family in good health. Be sure to stop by next time you are North. Nick
I still have the Seattle newspaper article that my grandmother mailed to me announcing Nick's disappearance in Vietnam in 1970. All of these years I never knew what happened to him.
Today I decided to Google the Vietnam MIA website, and it was there that I found his memorial wall site.
Pete, I wonder if I ever met you. I remember Nick's friends coming over. I have to laugh today imagining my grandparents keeping an eagle-eye on me! I also remember his Triumph roadster ... Nick seemed so cool to me.
To Louise, his sister, I further Googled the pages of years of reports of your father George's quest with the CIA to find out what happened to his son. Today I am remembering getting to know Nick that summer 39 years ago, and I thank you for his memorial page.
