According to his military record as of 1946, below, Fred C. Nelson was born March 17, 1894. He was commissioned on January 28, 1918 in the aviation section of the Signal Corps.
Fred C. Nelson, Military Record As Of 1946 (Source: Link)
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His flying experience was broad even before we find him at Tucson. For example, in 1920 at Bolling FIeld, he was featured in an air tournament in May, 1920. This link cites Nelson as, "The highlight of the first day was a record-setting flight by Lieutenant Fred Nelson in his German Fokker when he blasted onto Bolling Field from Middletown, Pennsylvania, a distance of 133 miles, in just 59 minutes." The airplane he flew in that event is pictured below with him in the cockpit. Notice the spare propeller lashed to the wing struts.
F.C. Nelson in Fokker, Ca. May, 1920 (Source: Link)
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Nelson landed three times at Tucson. Comparing the dates of his landings with his record above, we can determine that his rank was lieutenant at each arrival. His first visit was solo on Saturday, June 16, 1928 at 12:30PM. He flew the Consolidated PT-3 he identified as 28-333. Based at Riverside, CA March Field, he arrived at Tucson from Los Angeles, eastbound to Dayton, OH Wright Field. He remained on the ground an hour and a half before resuming his journey.
Fred C. Nelson, February 2, 1935 (Source: Link)
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His second landing was on Wednesday, October 31, 1928 13:40PM. still based at Riverside, he arrived from Yuma, AZ eastbound to San Antonio, TX flying the Consolidated PT-3 he identified as 28-273. He carried B.J. Tooker as his only passenger. They remained on the ground only 20 minutes.
His final landing was between April 4 and April 6, 1930 (he didn't cite a date or time in the Register). His single passenger was Ford J. Lauer. They were flying in the Douglas O-32 30-204. Based at Riverside, CA March Field, Nelson entered neither direction of flight nor destination.
Image at left, from the link cited in the right sidebar, shows Nelson in 1935. He would be 38 years old in this photograph.
His military record, above, records his progression through the ranks during the 1930s from lieutenant to major by 1939. With the coming of WWII he was promoted to colonel by 1942. Site visitor I. Sayer states that he was the Commandant of the Advanced Flying School at Moody Field, GA in July 1942. Below, a diploma granted and signed by Nelson to Frank Clements Folwell on July 3, 1942 for completing the advanced school.
Advanced Flying School Diploma Signed by Nelson, July 3, 1942 (Source: Sayer)
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In 1934, Nelson won the Mitchell Trophy. An overview of the history of the event, and citation of Nelson's first place time of 216.8 mph, are at the link. A photograph of Nelson with the Mitchell Trophy and his airplane is below.
F.C. Nelson Wins 1934 Mitchell Trophy (Source: Link)
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Nelson won the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. I do not know the dates of the awards. If you have any information, please let me KNOW.
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THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 12/22/13 REVISED: 01/04/14
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