Three hundred and sixteen Citadel graduates served in the armed forces in World War I. "The roll of ex-cadets is incomplete, but was probably as great." Most were commissioned officers. This includes officers: 8 colonels, 9 lieutenant colonels, 23 majors, 1 commmander, 5 lieutenant commanders, 98 (army) captains, 60 first lieutenants, 63 second lieutenants, 9 (navy) lieutenants, 10 sergeants, 7 corporals, and 22 privates. (Source: Oliver J. Bond, The Story of The Citadel, pp. 190-191. U430 .C5 B57 1989)
The first Citadel graduate to be killed in World War I was Lt. Montague Nichols. This occurred while he was serving with the British Royal Artillery in Flanders in 1915, before the United States even entered the war. The first Citadel graduate to be killed serving with the U.S. force was John David.
