PVT Nels Peterson was born 27 Aug 1913 in Yale, South Dakota. He was the youngest of the 6 children born to Nels and Mathilda Elfrieda Helen (Holst) Peterson (sometimes spelled "Petersen"). Both parents were natives of Denmark. His father farmed. On 12 Jan 1934, Nels married June Luella Vollenweider and they had a son the following year. Nels worked for others farming and as a truck driver living in Miller, Broadland and Huron, South Dakota. His father died in 1936 and his mother in 1937. Sometime in 1941, Nels and June divorced. In October 1942 Nels married Betty Lou Hess who was 19years old at the time.
Nels was drafted in December 1942. After his basic military training he was sent to England in March 1943 and assigned to H Company 116th Infantry. He trained with the unit for the planned amphibious landing that was to be a part of the invasion of occupied France. On 6 Jun 1944 he was with H Company when it participated in that assault at Omaha Beach. He survived the landing, apparently without injury, and fought with the unit until wounded on 15 Jun 1944. He was evacuated but died of his wound(s) the same day.
PVT Peterson rests forever in the
Normandy American Cemetery.
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