PLATOON SERGEANT CHARLES EDWARD NELSON, for extraordinary heroism on 10 January 1969 as a platoon leader in Don Luan Province during a mission to destroy a bridge which was a known enemy infiltration route. Sergeant Nelson was under the bridge preparing to demolish it when his company was suddenly subjected to intense automatic weapons fire from bunkers across the river. Seeing that the company commander was pinned down, he began to place covering fire, killing one North Vietnamese soldier, and remained in his exposed position until the commander had reached safety. As he was leading a withdrawal so that air strikes could be conducted, his platoon came under a heavy barrage from another group of bunkers. After positioning his men, he advanced alone toward the bunker, but was wounded in the chest by fire from a previously undetected fortification. Disregarding his painful injury, he crawled to within one meter of the bunker and hurled a grenade inside, killing the two occupants and relieving the pressure on his platoon. His men then reorganized and, with the help of another platoon, routed the communists. Sergeant First Class Nelson’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.

PSGT. Nelson joined the L.O.V. in 1971.