Oral History Interview with Darrell Nelson, December 8, 2001

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The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Darrell Nelson. Nelson was born in Lenora, Oklahoma on 25 December 1920 and enlisted in the Navy in December 1940. He was sent to Radio School following boot camp in San Diego, and then was assigned to the USS Phelps (DD-360) which was homeported in Pearl Harbor. Phelps was nested north of North Island with other ships being serviced by the tender USS Dobbin (AD-3), when the Japanese attacked. Nelson remembers that Dobbin suffered casualties from a near bomb miss, but Phelps was not damaged and was eventually … continued below

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Nelson, Darrell December 8, 2001.

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National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Established in 1967, the Museum honors the 8 million Americans who served in WWII in the Pacific Theater by sharing their stories with the world. Located in Fredericksburg in the restored Nimitz "Steamboat" Hotel, the Museum partners with the Texas Historical Commission to preserve the historical resources of the era.

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The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Darrell Nelson. Nelson was born in Lenora, Oklahoma on 25 December 1920 and enlisted in the Navy in December 1940. He was sent to Radio School following boot camp in San Diego, and then was assigned to the USS Phelps (DD-360) which was homeported in Pearl Harbor. Phelps was nested north of North Island with other ships being serviced by the tender USS Dobbin (AD-3), when the Japanese attacked. Nelson remembers that Dobbin suffered casualties from a near bomb miss, but Phelps was not damaged and was eventually able to get underway and steam out of the harbor. He watched the USS Utah (AG-16) roll over and sink as the Phelps steamed past. During the Battle of the Coral Sea during, the USS Lexington (CV-2) was severely damaged and had to be abandoned. Nelson recalls that the Phelps rescued several Lexington survivors and torpedoed the carrier to prevent it falling into enemy hands. He remembers that Phelps provided support to several American carriers during the Battle of Midway. He describes action in the Aleutian Islands in support of landings at both Attu and Kiska Islands. He was transferred to the USS Fremont (APA-44), a former troop ship converted into a flag command ship which participated in the Palau Islands operations. Next, he was transferred to USS Essex (CV-9) and saw action at Okinawa and Iwo Jima. He was in San Diego when the war ended and received his discharge in December 1945.

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20 p.

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National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection

This oral history collection depicts an instrumental era in American history. In these transcripts of interviews with World War II veterans are personal experiences with the war, from the Doolittle Raid and D-Day to the Battle for Bataan.

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National Museum of the Pacific War Digital Archive

The Digital Archive presents digitized collections from the Center for Pacific War Studies collections at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Collections and material are continuously being added and represent only a small portion of the archives' physical holdings.

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  • December 8, 2001

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  • Oct. 15, 2023, 1:47 p.m.

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Nelson, Darrell. Oral History Interview with Darrell Nelson, December 8, 2001, text, December 8, 2001; Fredericksburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1603747/: accessed June 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation.

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