World War II Navy veteran Harold H. Nelson will be honored with a 100th birthday celebration next Friday at the Guntersville VA Clinic, recognizing a century of life, military service and community contributions.
The Birmingham VA Health Care System will host the celebration at 1 p.m. July 31 at the clinic, located at 100 Judy Smith Drive. Family members, friends, fellow veterans and VA staff are expected to attend.
Nelson, who was born July 17, 1926, in the Rock Springs community near Albertville, enlisted in the U.S. Navy on Dec. 21, 1944. He served as a Seaman First Class aboard the aircraft carrier USS Cowpens (CVL-25) until June 21, 1946.
During World War II, Nelson participated in operations in the Pacific Theater, serving aboard one of the first American aircraft carriers to enter Tokyo Bay after Japan’s surrender. He remained in the region during the Allied occupation, supporting operations that included the activation of Yokosuka Airfield and the liberation of Allied prisoners of war.
His military decorations include the World War II Victory Medal, the Philippine Liberation Medal and the American Campaign Medal.
After returning home, Nelson founded Nelson Tile Company and built a home on the same Rock Springs farm where he was born, a property that has remained in his family since the 1830s. Nearly eight decades after leaving military service, he remains active in the family business.
Nelson and his wife, Bonnie, married in November 1953. They have four children and six grandchildren.
VA officials said the celebration will recognize not only Nelson’s wartime service but also his lifelong commitment to his family, his community and the nation.
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