Sven Elmer Roland Nelson

PFC Elmer Nelson, a Swedish-born Marine aviation radioman and gunner. After finishing his training at Jacksonville in July 1942, Nelson was assigned to duty with VMSB-141, a scout-bomber squadron preparing for overseas deployment.  He arrived in the Solomon Islands and began flying missions out of Guadalcanal in September.

On 2 October 1942, Nelson and 2Lt. Edward W. Ayres were assigned to a routine sector search over the Russell Islands. They were joined by Lt. (j.g.) Herbert H. Perritte and ARM2c Irvin E. Newsome, Jr., of VS-71. Over the Russells, Japanese pilots of the Tainan kokutai forced the Americans to scurry for cloud cover and retreat back towards Guadalcanal. They were almost within sight of safety when, over Savo Island, ten Zeros of the 6th kokutai ambushed the two Dauntless bombers. Both American planes were shot down; none of the aircrew were seen alive again.

Elmer Nelson was reported as missing in action and carried in such status for more than three years. No trace of pilot, gunner, or SBD-3 03311 was ever found. The two Marines were ultimately declared dead on 5 December 1945.