Captain Leroy Richard "Roy" Nelson, (1918-2009), was born in Alquippa, Pennsylvania to Richard Henry and Bloodwin Isaac Nelson on 28 October 1918. After graduating from Alquippa High School in 1937, he attended three (3) years of college at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio, earning a bachelor's degree in Accounting. He entered the service, and competed basic training at Camp Wheeler, Georgia in August 1942. He applied for, and was accepted to the seven (7) month long Aviation Cadet Program. Roy began Primary Flight training at the Rankin Aeronautical Academy (Rankin Field) in Tulare, California in February 1943. Rankin Field became one of the sixty-two (62) civilian-owned flying schools in the U.S. that taught 1.4 million World War II Army pilots to fly. Basic flying skills were taught in the PT-17 Stearman at Rankin. He complted Primary on the 12 April 1943 and it was on to Basic and Advanced Flight Training at Marfa Army Airfield in Marfa, Texas. During Basic, Roy learned formation flight, instruments, and aerial navigation skills. During Advanced, the Cadets were broken into single-engine and multi-engine categories. (Roy was multi-engine) Single-engine candidates would go on to fly fighters, and multi-engine Cadets became bomber or transport pilots. Roy flew the BT-13A trainer. He received the silver wings of the United States Army Air Corps in Class 43-H from Marfa [see graduation dance announcement][invitation card][see graduation announcement] and graduated on the 30 August 1943  [orders] along with several other members of the Second Emergency Rescue Squadron. Hugh Pennington, Bill Holbrook, Larry Bormann, John Denison, John Dickinson, Denzil Kathman, Harry Remington, Don Dixon, Frank Rauschkolb, Robert Rohlfing, and James Scott were graduates of this class.

Roy then transferred to Selman Field in Monroe, Louisiana to begin his Transition Flight Training in the PBY-5A. Roy alson received the gold wings of a Naval Aviator at Pensacola Naval Air Station in January 1944 after completing the Navy syllabus. He and other members of the 2nd ERS were transferred to Gulfport Field, Mississippi and eventually Keesler Field, Biloxie, Mississippi to complete the Air Sea Rescue Training required by the USAAF. Once complete, the Second Emergency moved to California to begin the transition to the Pacific Theater to join the war effort.

On the 2 Febuary 1944 Roy married the former Margaret Martsolf [wedding announcement] in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Roy Nelson flew OA-10A Catalina from Sacramento, California over the Golden Gate Bridge all the way to Hawaii, then continued to Townsville, Australia. He flew his first mission with the 2nd ERS on 28 July 1944  and continued flying until the war was over in August 1945 participating in numerous other air-sea rescues. While with the Squadron, he and Captain Harry Remington were assigned as instructors to transition newly assigned crew to the OA-10A. Roy flew eighty (80) combat missions totaling over six hundred twenty (620) hours. He re-deployed to the U.S. in November 1945, joined the Air Force Reserve in 1950. Roy logged over 3,500 total flight hours in his career both with the military and as a civilian.

Roy and Margaret had three (3) children - Warren (b. 1947), Kay (b. 1949), and Bill (b. 1953). Roy was active for over 20 years in the Texas Tennis Association and the United States Tennis Association, serving as an umpire, umpire instructor, and officer on many of the Tennis Association committees. He also remained active as a private pilot until his 91st birthday. He was a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilot's Association. (AOPA) He was a member of the Air Lifeline of Texas, Inc., transporting critically ill patients, vital transplant organs, and needed blood for patients in Houston and surrounding areas.

As a civilian, Roy worked for the Shell Oil Company for thirty-seven (37) years, retiring in 1981. Roy passed away on Christmas Day 2009 at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas. Roy's wife of 65 years passed away on the 9 October 2012.  Back to "Roster"...

   [See his Military Records][Roy Nelson's A-2 Flight Jacket and 50 misson "Crush" Cap ][Draft Card]

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