The Emil Nelson Group

Yet another interesting military medal group to show you. This one was an easy research job since it came with the soldier’s discharge! Emil Nelson served with the 127th Ambulance company (32nd Division) which was made up of mostly Racine Wisconsin men. On his WWI Victory medal he has the normal four bars for the 32nd: AISNE-MARNE, OISE-AISNE, MEUSE-ARGONNE and the common DEFENSIVE SECTOR.

On his discharge Nelson is credited for action in the Alsace Sector for which there is no bar. As I found out on the US Militaria Forum when I asked the question, the Defensive Sector Bar was a catch all for all the so called quiet sector actions for which no actual bars were issued. Sergeant Nelson’s service during the post war occupation of parts of Germany is also mentioned on his record and again there was no bar for that, but later in the 1940’s the medal with General Pershing’s profile was issued for that.

This is a great group and as a collector I should be happy with it but darn I sure would have liked to have gotten his dog tags too.