Roy J. Nelson

Private 1st Class, U. S. Army

Silver Star

GENERAL ORDERS:
Headquarters, 63d Infantry Division, General Orders No. 243 (June 14, 1945)
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class Roy J. Nelson (ASN: 38570992), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 254th Infantry Regiment, 63d Infantry Division, in action on 8 April 1945, in the vicinity of Krautheim, Germany.
While moving across a flat, open ridge, Company K met particularly strong resistance and was stopped by heavy fire from two machine guns which commanded the entire area. Seeing that the elimination of the machine guns was necessary to the success of the operation, Private First Class Nelson, a light machine gunner, left his position of cover and, rushing ahead of the riflemen, fired his weapon from the hip at the two enemy positions. Private First Class Nelson laid down such a heavy volume of assault fire that the two machine guns were neutralized, permitting the advance to continue. A short time after this action, he was fatally wounded by an enemy artillery shell.
Private First Class Nelson's magnificent courage and devotion to duty in the face of enemy fire are in keeping with the finest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States.