Silver Star given to 107-year-old WWII veteran by 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Carson
FORT CARSON, Colo. (KRDO) -- Sergeant First Class Harold Nelson, a World War II Veteran, was presented with a Silver Star by the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Carson Tuesday morning.
According to the Fort Carson Public Affairs Office, Nelson is a 107-year-old Denver resident. He was drafted into the United States Army on July 14, 1941, from Fort Crook, Nebraska.
Tuesday's award ceremony was 78 years in the making, and it all started with a letter to Nelson's mother back in 1944.
The note was from her son’s commander, saying he’s been submitted to receive the Silver Star Award for his ‘gallant actions in combat.’
But that award never came.
Proving Nelson deserved the award became increasingly difficult, after his records were destroyed in a fire at a military records storage facility in the 70s.
"I kind of forgot about it, until I got it," said Nelson. "It took so long.”
Nelson petitioned the Army Board for Corrections of Military Records in 2019 to determine if he should be awarded.
Despite the lack of evidence, the Board agreed to give Nelson the Silver Star after he gave a detailed account of combat during World War II, and showed them the letter to his mother.
"I can't tell you how many people we, my family, my friends have contacted to try to get this," said Carolee Soden, Nelson's Daughter. "Personally, we kind of gave up on it. But the Forgotten Heroes got involved, and Representative Ken Buck, and somehow this whole thing went through and we're here. It's very emotional.”
Even at 107-years-old, Nelson can recall his time in World War II, even still laughing about an exchange he had with the legendary General Patton.
"Patton says to me, 'Damn it soldier. Let me hear you give some orders! Your men look like they're all pooped out!' I didn't know what to tell him," said Nelson. "'These men are pooped out! They ran 20 miles in 4 hours, and you rode in that damn jeep.' I didn't say it, but that's what I thought!"
Decades later, Nelson is finally a recipient of the military’s second highest honor of valor. But the Sergeant First Class remains humble.
"It's great to see all these people around here," said Nelson. "I didn’t think I was that important.”
Fort Carson says Nelson entered World War II with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division as part of Operation Torch in Morocco, an Allied mission intended to draw Axis forces away from the Eastern Front in northern Europe.
Fort Carson says that although Allied forces faced intense fighting against German and French militaries, they were successful. The successful campaign allowed Allied forces to finally gain the offense after three years of Axis powers dictating the tempo of events in the war.
Following the invasion of Northern Africa, Nelson also participated in Operation Husky in Sicily and Operations Avalanche and Shingle in Italy, according to Fort Carson.
The U.S Department of Defense says that the Army Board for Corrections of Military Records awarded Nelson the Silver Star based on his detailed account of combat with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd ID during World War II, and a letter from his then-commander, Capt. James Pearman Jr., who described his efforts to award Nelson the Silver Star Medal.
