William Potter Nelson

HAVELOCK NC – Retired Gunnery Sergeant William Potter Nelson, United States Marine Corps, 87, a resident of Havelock, passed away November 14, 2011 at Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City, North Carolina. He was born February 5, 1924 in Framingham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts and was a graduate of Framingham High School. Enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1941, GySgt Nelson was a Veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, serving his country honorably on duty for 27 years 3 ½ months from December 19, 1941 to March 23, 1946 (Active Duty); December 21, 1947 to October 5, 1951 (Reserve); and October 6, 1951 to December 31, 1970 (Active Duty), until his retirement.

He served his military career assigned to various Marine Corps and Navy military installations, working in the field of photography, assigned to station and wing squadrons and commands, and aboard U.S. Navy ships, the last being the USS Princeton. Primary duty stations included San Diego Ca, Okinawa, Korea, Vietnam, NAS Squantum Quincy Ma, NAS Jacksonville Fl, NAS Pensacola Fl (two tours), MCAS Cherry Point NC (four tours), and various unaccompanied deployments. He completed numerous military training courses and was a USMC graduate of the New York Rochester Institute of Technology Photographic School.

His medals and awards include: Good Conduct with one silver and one bronze star, WW II American Campaign, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, WW II Victory, Navy Unit Commendation for service in Korea, Navy Occupation Service with Asia Clasp, National Defense Service with one bronze star, Korean Service with two bronze stars, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one bronze star (Quemoy and Matsu Islands, Vietnam – 1963), Vietnam Service, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm Device, United Nations Service, and Republic of Korea Korean War Service medals.

After military retirement, GySgt Nelson worked for the next five years at the Cherry Point Photography Hobby Shop and as a free-lance photographer. He then continued his career in civil service as a microform equipment operator for 15 years with the U.S. Navy, Naval Aviation Depot (formerly Naval Air Rework Facility), MCAS Cherry Point NC, until retiring on November 13, 1991.

He was a member of the Fleet Reserve Association and Havelock Moose Lodge #1797. He and his wife raised six children through many military moves, until the final one in 1964 to MCAS Cherry Point, where the family settled permanently in Havelock. He also enjoyed many years of family gatherings and events, activities with his grandchildren, photography, fishing, wood-working, reading, gardening, and bingo.

GySgt Nelson is survived by his son, Col. William P. Nelson, USAF (ret), and his wife Janice, of Springfield Va; and four daughters: Margaret Frances Young of Midlothian Va; Mary Lee Shea and husband, Mike, of Orefield Pa; Lilli Anne Garner and husband Melvin, and Cecile Marie Nelson and husband Stan Vaughn, all of Newport NC; 12 grandchildren and 9 great- grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years Cecelia Kashuba Nelson of Havelock NC on November 5, 2011; his daughter Irene Ellen Robertson of Havelock NC; his parents, William L. Nelson and Lena Wallace Nelson of Framingham MA; and two brothers, Harold Nelson and Wallace Nelson.

The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, November 19, 2011, at Cotten Funeral Home, followed by a graveside service at Greenleaf Memorial Park, New Bern.