Ralph A. Nelson

Ralph A. Nelson entered into the Army on January 10, 1944. Home at entry: Duluth, Minnesota.

He served as a Corporal and rifleman with Company K of the Third Battalion of the 259th Infantry Regiment and 65th Infantry Division in Rhineland and Central Europe.

Mr. Nelson shares the following: "Our first battle was at Saalauternon, March 7, 1945. We went on to breach the Siegfried Line and crossed the Rhine River. We then fought battles at Mulhausen, Struth, Neumarket, and crossed the Danube to take Regensburg on April 25. The enemy surrendered May 9. At that time I was in Linz, Austria. We marched 583 miles in 60 days."

Mr. Nelson was awarded the following: Bronze Star Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze battle stars, World War II Victory Medal tand wo overseas service bars.

He was discharged on May 4, 1946, at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.

Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 218.

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