Homer Gurton Nelson (1923-1943)

NELSON, THOMPSON, KIRK, SHAW

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 1/11/2023 at 15:02:20

From Nevada Evening Journal June 22, 1948 (page 6)

Homer G. Nelson Buried Wednesday With Military Honors

Maxwell, June 22--Funeral services were held for Homer Gurton Nelson at the Methodist church in Maxwell on Wednesday at 2 p.m. conducted by Rev. C. R. Fitz. Mrs. Jean Mohler sang "Recessional" by Kipling and "Through Love to Light" by Richard W. Gilder. Mrs. Lorena Martin played "Largo" by Handel and "Largo" by Dvorak.

The pallbearers were Clifford Kenney, Ardene Young, Stuart McCord, Richard Christy, Max Boten and Forrest Coughenour. Interment was in the Iowa Center cemetery with the V.F.W. in charge.

The following obituary was read:

Homer Gurton Nelson was born May 8, 1923 at Maxwell, Iowa to Gurton N. and Mildred Thompson Nelson. He made the supreme sacrifice in the service of his country on Nov. 26, 1943.

Homer became a member of the Methodist church in Maxwell when a young boy. He grew to manhood in this community where he was a friend to all. He belonged to the 4-H club for a number of years. In 1941 he graduated from the Maxwell Consolidated school where he was active in sports and music.

In January 1943, during his second year of study at Iowa State college at Ames, he entered the army. He served n the Army Air Forces as a radio operator, having received his training in the Army Air Forces Technical schools in Chicago, Ill., Madison, Wisc., and Smyrna, Tenn.

After leaving the states, his air group was stationed for a short time in North Africa. Then, enroute to India, Homer lost his life as a result of injuries received in the sinking of the British troopship, the S. S. Rohna. While crossing the Mediterranean Sea in convoy the ship was sunk as a result of an enemy air attack off the coast of Djidjelli, Algeria. His parents received the Purple Heart Medal, awarded posthumously.

Surviving, besides his parents, are two sisters, Mrs. James D. Kirk of Waterloo, Iowa, and Mrs. Duane C. Shaw of Pittsburgh, Pa., and a very large group of friends.