uel ing ▁Wing . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁he ▁transferred ▁with ▁the ▁wing ▁and ▁its ▁K C - 1 3 5 s ▁to ▁Don ▁Mu ang ▁Royal ▁Th ai ▁Air ▁Base , ▁Th ailand . ▁Later , ▁he ▁organized ▁and ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 3 1 0 th ▁Str ateg ic ▁Wing ▁at ▁U - T ap ao ▁Royal ▁Th ai ▁Navy ▁Air field , ▁Th ailand . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁Nich ol son ▁rejo ined ▁the ▁ 3 0 1 st ▁Air ▁Ref uel ing ▁Wing ▁as ▁commander ▁at ▁Lock bourne ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base . ▁Short ly ▁there after , ▁he ▁moved ▁with ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁wing ▁to ▁Clark ▁Air ▁Base , ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁organized ▁the ▁ 4 1 0 2 nd ▁Air ▁Ref uel ing ▁Squadron ▁and ▁participated ▁in ▁Line back er ▁II , ▁the ▁ 1 1 - day ▁air ▁operation ▁over ▁North ▁Vietnam ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁unit ▁returned ▁to ▁Lock bourne ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁Nich ol son ▁assumed ▁command ▁and ▁directed ▁the ▁reconst itution ▁of ▁the ▁ 9 7 th ▁Bomb ard ment ▁Wing , ▁B ly the ville ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Ark ansas . ▁He ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Organ ization ▁of ▁the ▁J oint ▁Chief s ▁of ▁Staff ▁( J - 5 ), ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁as ▁assistant ▁deput y ▁director ▁for ▁force ▁development ▁and