Comments/Citation:
Joseph Felix Nelles - KIA During Japanese Attack on Hickam Nelles, 7 Dec 1941
Joseph Nelles Made the Supreme Sacrifice That Helped Preserve Our Freedom
Joseph Nelles was born in Chicago on March 12, 1905. From the 1920 U. S. Census we learn that Joseph’s father, Martin, 45, worked as a hardwood finisher. His mother Margarite, 43, had five children living at home at this time; Gertrude, 16, Joseph, 14, William, 11, Marie, 6 and Martin, 6. The family all resided in Chicago, Illinois.
Ten years later, the 1930 U.S. Census recorded Joseph, now 24 years old, was unemployed. Neither his father, Martin, nor his mother, Margarite were working at this time. This document listed their address as 400 McHenry Avenue in Woodstock, Illinois.
Nelles enlisted in the Army in Chicago sometime in 1939. Joseph, after basic training, was assigned to the Headquarters Squadron, 17th Air Base Group, at Hickam Air Base in Honolulu. He attained the rank of Private First Class with an Army Service Number of 6920307.
The bomber command headquarters (18th Bombardment Wing) had the tactical responsibility of launching aircraft on patrol and alert missions, while the post headquarters of the 17th Air Base Group commander handled administrative requirements and provided supervision for the mechanics, shop workers, and other personnel who insured the safe and efficient flying of the big bombers. Technical schools could not provide enough men to fill the needs of the Army for specialized service of its planes. Such schools were established at Hickam and Wheeler Fields in 1939. The school at Hickam specialized in training aviation mechanics and armorers.
Unfortunately, Nelles was one of the many men that died on December 7, 1941. This researcher could find no details on how Joseph was killed on that dark day.
He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously. His remains were interred at the Diamond Head Memorial Park in Honolulu, Hawaii on April 16, 1942. The location of his headstone is in section B, plot B-29.
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This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smart phone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.
Resources:
https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrh/installations/jb_pearl_harbor_hickam/about/history.html
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71798057/joseph-f-nelles
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/47578800:6224
1930 and 1920 U. S. Census
Joyce, Robert (SBTS Historian) AT2
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