World War II Honoree

Milton E. Nelson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Tarrant, Alabama

Honored By

Lee A. Hillard

Relationship

Friend

IN JUNE 1942, HE ENTERED ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE HAVING APPLIED AND BEEN ACCEPTED FOR PILOT TRAINING AS AN AVIATION CADET. HE WAS SENT TO PENNSYLVANIA FOR SEVERAL MONTHS WHERE HE ATTENDED COLLEGE UNTIL A CLASS OPENING WAS AVAILABLE. HE RECEIVED HIS COMMISSION AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS AND HIS PILOT WINGS IN AUGUST 1944. AFTER COMPLETING B-17 UPGRADE TRAINING HE WAS ASSIGNED TO B-17 AIRCRAFT AS A COMMANDER WITH THE EIGHTH AIR FORCE IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. IN LATE APRIL 1945, AFTER HIS LOCAL CHECKOUT, HE WAS ABOUT TO FLY HIS FIRST COMBAT MISSION INTO GERMANY. AS THE FORCE WAS ALL LINED UP AND READY FOR TAKEOFF, A RED FLARE WAS FIRED FROM THE CONTROL TOWER AND THE MISSION WAS CANCELED. THE BOMBING IN GERMANY WAS OVER. HE FLEW A NUMBER OF SUPPORT MISSIONS MAINLY INTO FRANCE AND IN JUNE 1945, HE RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES. HE CONTINUED HIS SERVICE AFTER THE WAR.