▁both ▁aer onaut ical ▁engineering ▁and ▁meteor ology ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 5 0 . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁Air ▁Command ▁and ▁Staff ▁College ▁at ▁Max well ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Alabama , ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁War ▁College ▁of ▁Fort ▁Les ley ▁J . ▁Mc N air , ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁While ▁at ▁the ▁latter ▁school ▁he ▁concurrent ly ▁earned ▁a ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁international ▁relations ▁from ▁The ▁George ▁Washington ▁University , ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁ ▁Military ▁career ▁After ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁Park s ▁College , ▁he ▁completed ▁his ▁Reserve ▁Offic ers ' ▁Training ▁Corps ▁requirements , ▁was ▁commission ed ▁a ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁active ▁duty ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 5 0 . ▁He ▁received ▁his ▁pilot ▁wings ▁at ▁Williams ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Arizona , ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁He ▁then ▁attended ▁F - 8 4 ▁combat ▁crew ▁training ▁at ▁Luke ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Arizona . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁Nich ol son ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 5 8 th ▁F ighter - B om ber ▁Wing ▁in ▁Korea . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 5 2 , ▁while ▁on ▁a ▁combat ▁mission ▁over ▁North ▁Korea , ▁he ▁was ▁shot ▁down , ▁ev aded ▁capture ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁wing ▁to ▁complete ▁his ▁combat ▁tour ▁of ▁duty .