If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Casualty Info
Home Town Everett, WA
Last Address Bellingham, WA
Casualty Date Nov 19, 1944
Cause KIA-Body Not Recovered
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Pacific
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Manila American Cemetery and Memorial - Manila, Philippines
Wall/Plot Coordinates (cenotaph)
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
ENS Nelson was a member of VF-20 aboard the USS Enterprise. His plane was shot down on November 19, 1944. His body was not recovered and he was later declared dead.
Comments/Citation:
Service number: 305688
Navy Cross
Awarded for actions during World War II
Service: Navy
Battalion: Fighting Squadron 20 (VF-20)
Division: U.S.S. Enterprise (CV-6)
General Orders: Commander 1st Carrier Task Force Pacific: Serial 046 (January 31, 1945)
Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Ensign Robert Kolden Nelson (NSN: 0-305688), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron TWENTY (VF-20), attached to the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (CV-6), during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Battle for Leyte Gulf, on 25 October 1944. Fearless and determined under a terrific barrage from Japanese guns as he launched a daring attach against an enemy Fleet Task Group, Ensign Nelson plunged through a fierce hail of anti-aircraft fire to press home his relentless thrusts and, fighting his plane gallantly, succeeded in scoring a direct bomb hit on a light cruiser. By his superb airmanship and indomitable courage in the face of formidable odds, Ensign Nelson contributed materially to the accomplishment of his squadron's mission and thereby to the ultimate success of our aerial offensive in this vital theater of war. His unswerving devotion to duty throughout this and numerous other hazardous operations was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Mariana and Palau Islands Campaign (1944)/Battle of Philippine Sea
From Month/Year
June / 1944
To Month/Year
June / 1944
Description The Battle of the Philippine Sea (June 19–20, 1944) was a major naval battle of World War II that eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War. The battle was the last of five major "carrier-versus-carrier" engagements between American and Japanese naval forces, and pitted elements of the United States Navy's Fifth Fleet against ships and aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Mobile Fleet and nearby island garrisons.
The aerial part of the battle was nicknamed the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot by American aviators for the severely disproportional loss ratio inflicted upon Japanese aircraft by American pilots and anti-aircraft gunners. During a debriefing after the first two air battles a pilot from USS Lexington remarked "Why, hell, it was just like an old-time turkey shoot down home!" The outcome is generally attributed to American improvements in pilot and crew training and tactics, technology (including the top-secret anti-aircraft proximity fuze), and ship and aircraft design. Although at the time the battle appeared to be a missed opportunity to destroy the Japanese fleet, the Imperial Japanese Navy had lost the bulk of its carrier air strength and would never recover. During the course of the battle, American submarines torpedoed and sank two of the largest Japanese fleet carriers taking part in the battle.
This was the largest carrier-to-carrier battle in history.
