William Nelson

26Sep1915 – 23Dec1944

Edison Days

Bjarne attended Edison and is pictured in the 1933 Edison Wizard yearbook as a member of the Interclass Track Team.

Military Service

Rank: Private First Clsss

Branch: United States Army

Unit: 10th Infantry Regiment – 5th Infantry Division

William’s path to the Army is unknown.

In early December 1944 the 10th Infantry Regiment was in the Saar region of France recovering from heavy fighting around Metz. When the German Army launched the Ardennes Offensive (The Battle of the Bulge) on 16Dec1944, the entire 5th Infantry Division was one of the first to respond. From December 20 to December 22 the division moved over 60 miles through heavy snow to Luxembourg. The 10th Infantry Regiment was the first of the division’s regiments to reach the area and deployed on the far right (eastern) flank of the division’s sector. The following day the 5th Division began relieving the 4th Infantry Division which had suffered heavy losses since the beginning of the German offensive.

The 10th Regiment took positions south and southwest of Echternach, Luxembourg facing elements of the German 212th Volksgrenadier Division. It was on 23Dec1944 that William was killed by German artillery fire.

William was originally buried in a temporary cemetery in France. In 1948 his remains were returned to the Unted States for reburial at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.