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Sergeant Harold Nelson

In Africa and Promoted

Mr. and Mrs. N. C. Nelson this week received a long-awaited letter from their son, Harold, in which he reveals that he is now in North Africa and has been promoted to sergeant. The letter:

“It’s been quite some time since I have written you, and I bet you wonder what in the world has happened to me. Well, I am very much OK and well. The last letter I wrote to you I think was the latter part of November. I just got a bunch of your letters the other day – that was my first mail for almost or rather better than six weeks. I was sure glad to hear from you and to get your letters.

“Well, now to get down to the real news, and I think you can gather from that why it has been so long since I wrote the last time. I am now somewhere in Northern Africa and by the coldness of the nights it feels like it is way north.

“I can’t say much about the country because I haven’t seen much of it yet, but what I have seen I can’t say much for it. When the sun does shine here it is really swell, but it sure does love to rain, and then the nights are sure cold and it makes one dig for covers to keep warm of a night. But I guess I will live through it O.K. or at least I sure am going to try and do my best.

“Well, so much for Africa; tell you more about it next time. Well, I have advanced another rank in this man’s army again. I am now a sergeant. Received my advancement shortly after Xmas, so I guess that was my Xmas present…

“Well write when I can as often as I can from now on, but I can’t say how often. It must be sometime between letters. Keep your letters coming. They will reach me some time. Tell all the rest hello for me, and I hope to see you all soon.”

Sergeant Nelson has a brother, Lloyd A. who was in the Philippines when last heard from.

American Battle Monuments Commission The World War II Honor Roll

Harold W. Nelson, Sergeant, U.S. Army

37035404

81st Reconnaissance Bn, 1st Armored Division

Entered the Service from: Nebraska

Died: May 25, 1944

Buried at: Plot G Row 7 Grave 57, Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Nettuno, Italy

Awards: Purple Heart

Harold W. Nelson, Sargent, U.S. Army, World War 2

Harold W. Nelson lived with his parents Mr. and Mrs. Nels C. Nelson of rural Blair. He graduated from Blair High School in 1935, and then was employed for nearly three years on the George Neal farm near Fort Calhoun. He entered the service on February 27, 1941, leaving Blair with a large group of selectees including Pvt. Kenneth Redding, who died at Anzio Beach in Italy in March of 1944. Sgt. Nelson was trained at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, and went overseas in 1942. Sgt. Nelson was killed in action in Italy on May 25, 1944, and was buried at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Nettuno, Italy. He was in the 81st Reconnaissance Tank Battalion, 1st Armored Division. The family received his Purple Heat award. At the time of his death his parents survived, as well as two sisters Della and Lela Nelson. His older brother Lloyd had died while a prisoner-of-war in a Bataan prison camp. Della Ray and Lela Ray are both living in Blair at this time.

Pilot Tribune 15 June 1944

Second Son Of Nelsons Killed

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Sgt. Harold W. Nelson Was Killed In Italy On May 25th

Sgt. Harold W. Nelson, was killed in action in Italy May 25, according to official word received Monday morning by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nels C. Nelson of Blair.

Details of the young Blairite’s death will be relayed by letter, promised the Adjutant General’s telegram to the bereaved Nelson family.

Nelson had been station in a tank battalion.

Graduated from Blair high school in 1935, Sg.t Nelson was employed for nearly three years on the George Neale farm near Ft. Calhoun. He entered the service on February 27, 1942, leaving Blair with a large group of selectees including Pvt. Kenneth Redding, whose death on Anzio beachhead in Italy was reported last month.

Sgt. Nelson was trained at Ft. Knox, Ky. He arrived overseas just two years ago this month.

Besides his parents, Sgt. Nelson is survived by two sisters, Della and Lela, both at home.

Lloyd Nelson, 27, older brother of Harold Nelson, died a prisoner-of-war in a Bataan prison camp last year. Neither of the brothers was married.

Another article, no date written on it

Sgt. Nelson, Blair Is Killed in Action

Blair, Neb. (Special) – Mr. and Mrs. Nels C. Nelson, Blair, Monday were informed that their son, Sgt. Harold W. Nelson, 26, was killed in action May 25 in Italy.

Sgt. Nelson, who was with a tank battalion, had been overseas two years. A graduate of Blair High school, he enlisted in February, 1941, and received his training at Fort Knox, Ky.

Surviving besides his parents are two sisters, Della and Lela, both at home. A brother, Lloyd, taken prisoner on Bataan, died a year ago.

Pilot Tribune 3 Feb 2004

Washington County Veteran Remembered

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Veterans Tribune Plaza “Honoring Service…Celebrating Freedom”

This week, the Veterans Tribune Plaza Committee is honoring the service of two Washington County veterans from the same family. Sergeant Harold W. Nelson served in Europe and Corporal Lloyd A. Nelson served in the Pacific during World War II.

Sergeant Nelson and Corporal Nelson were the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Nels C. Nelson of rural Blair. Harold graduated from Blair High School in 1935 and worked on the George Neale farm near Fort Calhoun prior to entering the Army on February 27, 1941. Lloyd attended Pleasant View Grade School and volunteered for the service on April 28, 1941. The two brothers were separated as Lloyd was shipped to the Philippines while Harold was sent to Europe to fight.

Lloyd was reported as “Missing in Action” in May of 1942 and was later reclassified as a “Prisoner of War”. His parents were notified in July of 1943, that he had died as a prisoner of the Japanese. The American Battle Monuments Commission shows Corporal Lloyd A. Nelson as dying on Nov. 25, 1942. He is buried at Manila American cemetery, Manila, Philippines. Corporal Nelson was awarded the Silver Star.

Harold was serving with the 81st Reconnaissance Tank Battalion, 1st Armored Division in Italy. He was killed in action in Italy on May 25, 1944. His family received his Purple Heart after his death. Sergeant Nelson is buried at the Sicily-Rome American cemetery, Nettuno, Italy. Sisters Della Ray and Lela Ray of Blair, survive both soldiers.

Many families, unfortunately, experienced the loss of more than one son or daughter during this time of war. Sergeant Nelson and Corporal Nelson made the supreme sacrifice of their lives in the service of their country, never to return to their native homeland or to their birthplace. We are very grateful for their selfless service to their country.

If you have a story of a veteran from Washington County, please feel free to call Pat Hunsche and share that story for possible future publication. To place a veteran’s name on the wall the only requirement is that at some time the veteran must have resided in Washington County. Contact Pat Hunsche at 426-2013 to verify that the name has been recorded for placement on the Veterans Wall.

The campaign to raise funds for the Veterans Tribute Plaza is underway. Visit our web site at veteranstributeplaza.com for additional information on the project, or call 402-426-6689.

Arlington Review Herald 29 April 1943

Inductees Leave Friday

The following is a list of men who will leave Friday for military service:

Arlington – Julius Haas, Walter Schlapfer, Cephas Brummett.

Blair – James Williams, Jack H. Peterson, John C. Jensen, Eugene Worley, Wayne Steinbaugh, Vernon F. Bellows, Jr., Joseph J. Gutschow, john L. Miller, Mikeal H. Pederson, Russell Peterson, Bill Henningson, Junior Kirk, Philip Nielson, Howard Risor, James Lowell Long.

Bennington – Albert N. Williams

Fontanelle – Lloyd Olson

Ft. Calhoun – Argil Hurst

Herman – Harold Nelson

Hooper – Leroy Bokhardt

Kennard – Raymond Schneider, James H. Schneider, Kenneth Dale.

A short ceremony will be held at the Court House on Friday afternoon at 2:45 honoring several of the above named who have not yet reported for active military service.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~