textnelsoncraigmerrill1936.html

North High School Wall of Honor
Craig Merrill Nelson
Class of June, 1936
Died November 7, 1945; DNB; Nonbattle

Research done by Rick Nehrling, class of 1963.

Craig Merrill Nelson

Craig was a member of North High's class of June, 1936. He served as a Private First Class in the US Army with the 78th Quartermaster Company, 78th Infantry Division, in the European Theater during WWII. His service number was 37192840. He was killed in the line of duty and his death was reported as DNB; died, nonbattle.
Information obtained from the American Battle Monuments Commission shows that Craig died on November 7, 1945. He is buried at the Epinal American Cemetery, Epinal, France. His remains are at Plot B, Row 23, Grave 19.

References

The above information was obtained from the following:
(1) The World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel was created by the War Department, the Adjutant General's Office, Administrative Services Division, Strength Accounting Branch. The original records are held at the Modern Military records LICON, Textural Services Division (NWCTM), National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
The documents contain the latest and most complete information available of all Army and Army Air Force personnel who were killed or died, or became and remained missing, between the President's declaration of unlimited national emergency on May 27, 1941 and the cut-off date of this report, January 31, 1946. This document includes both battle and nonbattle dead and missing. The records are available online at www.archives. gov.
The type of casualty is indicated by the following:

* KIA - Killed in Action. This is an individual who was killed in action at the front, by enemy action in the rear, or if a prisoner of war.

* DOW - Died of Wounds. This is an individual was who wounded and later died.

* DOI - This is an individual who suffered fatal battle injuries and died in a line of duty status.

*DNB - Died Nonbattle. This is an individual who died in a line of duty death, such as from sickness, homicide, suicide, or accidents outside of combat areas (training).

*M - Missing. This is an individual who is reported as missing and later was determined to be dead.

*FOD - Finding of Death. Findings of death fall within Public Law 490 and its amendments and are made when there is either conclusive proof that the person is dead or equally overwhelming evidence that under the circumstances the person could not have remained alive. This document only contains the names of those individuals who died in the line of duty status. Those individuals who were not in the line of duty at the time of their death are not listed in this document.

(2) The American Battle Monuments Commission was established in 1923 to commemorate the service, achievements, and sacrifice of US Armed Forces. There are 24 overseas cemeteries that serve as the final resting places for almost 125,000 American war dead. The servicemen and women are either buried at these cemeteries or their names listed on the tablets of the missing that memorialize these men and women and their sacrifice. These records can be found online at www.abmc.gov/home.php.

(3) The comprehensive list of names from North High's 1893-2018 graduation classes are from Claradell Shedd's North Des Moines High School website. The names of all North High School graduates can be found online at http://www.ndmhs.com/. Craig Merrill Nelson's 1936 class page can be viewed at
http://www.ndmhs.com/pages/yearclass1936(1986.50).html.

Deceased: DNB; Died November 7, 1945; Nonbattle

Music: "Wind Beneath My Wings"