Names In The News : Rep. Bill Nichols, Pentagon Price Prober, Dies of Heart Attack at 70

Rep. Bill Nichols (D-Ala.), who led a congressional investigation into prices paid by the Pentagon for spare parts, died after suffering a heart attack in his office today, a spokeswoman for Capitol Hill Hospital said.

Nichols, 70, was first elected to Congress in 1966 to represent the 3rd District of eastern Alabama. He won a 12th term last month.

Nichols, who lost a leg in World War II, was a strong supporter of the military and President Reagan’s Pentagon buildup. When he took over the House Armed Services investigations subcommittee in 1983, however, he found administrative and procurement problems and was critical of some Defense Department operations.

The courtly, white-haired legislator presided over a series of investigations into high-priced spare parts, such as $400 Navy hammers and $5,000 coffee pots for the Air Force.