How a Hampton teen honors fallen heroes with dog tags: His inspiring mission

HAMPTON — Connor Nicol said he was struck while watching the film “Saving Private Ryan” by the youth of the soldiers in World War II who put their lives on the line to protect America and free Europe from Adolf Hitler.

Nicol, who is 15 years old, was 12 when he saw the movie. His empathy for the sacrifices the young soldiers made inspired him to create We Will Remember, a nonprofit that makes and distributes dog tags of the nation’s fallen veterans of the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, and soon the Global War on Terrorism.

“I want people to care about the people whose names are on the dog tags,” Connor said. “Say their name, keep them within their thoughts and prayers.”

Tags go out across the country to anyone who wants them: individuals, church groups, Scout Troops, school and veterans service organizations, like Hampton’s American Legion Post 35, where Connor spoke in October.

According to Berk Bennett, of Hampton’s American Legion, Connor did a great job.

“He gave out a number of dog tags of New Hampshire fallen veterans to our members here,” Bennett said. “He even made a custom dog tag for one of our members who lost a friend he had grown up with in New Jersey. This is a wonderful project.”

To Connor, the men and women who died in defense of their nation died too young, without a chance to live and enjoy their lives. These days, unfortunately, so many decades later, many of their names had been forgotten, he said, and he decided that would not happen on his watch.

Connor said We Will Remember started small, funded by $500 of his “chore money.” But it grew so quickly that his mother, Beth, helped him create an official charitable organization, which can accept tax-deductible donations to support the cause.

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Why dog tags?

“My father has dog tags,” Connor said of his dad, Col. Charles Nicol, an active-duty Marine currently stationed in New York, serving his 26th year.

Connor, his younger brother Wyatt, 13, and older brother, Iain, 17, are “military brats” and well acquainted with dog tags, according to their mom, a Navy veteran herself.

She grew up living on the grounds of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the daughter of Pat and retired Capt. Chuck Navin, who were stationed there and now call the Seacoast home.

In the beginning, Connor chose to memorialize the men who gave their lives during the Korean War of the 1950s. He had good reason for picking that particular military conflict, he said.

“That’s known as the ‘Forgotten War,’” Connor said of the fierce fighting that took place between the end of World War II and the beginning of Vietnam. American soldiers went to support South Korea in its fight against North Korea from 1950 to 1953.

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Each dog tag represents a fallen soldier

Connor creates and shares dog tags that honor fallen veterans, using information from the National Archives. He invites people to “adopt” a tag and remember the person who sacrificed their life and display it somewhere visible.

So far, he’s made more than 50,000 dog tags, which includes those who died during the Korean War – all 38,000, he said – plus some from the Vietnam War that took the lives of about 58,000.

“The tags are free to anyone who wants one,” Connor said. “My goal is to have every person in the United States who wants a dog tag to have a dog tag.”

For those who would like a custom dog tag made for a special fallen veteran, Connor asks for a donation. But all the money that’s received through We Will Remember, goes directly to fund the cause.

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Connor named Granite Stater of the Month

Connor’s efforts to honor fallen veterans with dog tags earned him the recognition of U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, who named him the Granite Stater of the Month for November. Hassan said Connor wanted to ensure that those who sacrificed their lives overseas are never forgotten.

“Connor’s dedication to respecting and commemorating military service is a strong reflection of the Granite State spirit of patriotism,” Hassan stated in a statement. “In New Hampshire, we honor those who keep our country safe, secure, and free. I thank Connor for his work to make sure that those who died in service to our country will never be forgotten.”

According to Connor, he manages to fit in his work on his memorial dog tag project with his other interests. Along with attending Winnacunnet High School and doing homework, Connor and his brothers are members of Hampton’s Boy Scout Troop 177, where they have all attained Eagle Scout status.

He’s planning on attending college, though he hasn’t chosen one yet, and hopes to major in biology, with a concentration in botany, because he “loves plants.”

After that, he has a very specific dream.

“I want to become an infantry officer with the Marine Corps,” he said.

Until then, he will continue to create dog tags of fallen veterans to get them into the hands of the living to keep their memories alive.

“No one can remember all the names of those who have died serving our country,” he said, “but everyone can remember one name. In that way, we will remember everyone.”

For more information on We Will Remember, visit wewillremember.us.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Hampton teen on a mission to remember fallen heroes with dog tags