Sergeant First Class Nelson was a member of the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 9 September 1950 and returned to duty on 11 September 1950. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 4 February 1951.

Nelson was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.