World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Courtney B. Neilson
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
St. Joseph County, Indiana
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
RANK: MAJOR. SERVED AS OPERATIONS OFFICER, U.S. ARMY HEADQUARTERS BATTERY, 377TH PARACHUTE FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, 101ST AIRBORNE ‘SCREAMING EAGLES’ DIVISION. HE WAS A PARATROOPER WHO JUMPED INTO FRANCE IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON D-DAY, JUNE 6, 1944, OPERATION OVERLORD, THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE. KILLED IN ACTION ON THE DAY OF THE INVASION BY ENEMY GROUND FIRE IN THE VICINITY OF VALOGNES, FRANCE AND IS BURIED AT THE NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY, COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, HIS UNIT WAS AWARDED A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH 1 OAK LEAF CLUSTER, FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM, BELGIAN CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM, A NETHERLANDS ORANGE LANYARD AND THE BELGIAN FOURRAGERE FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION AGAINST THE GERMAN ARMED FORCES.