Willard Nelson, WWII veteran, dies

By BETSY BOLGER-PAULET

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 19, 2000

CLEARWATER -- Willard Charles Nelson of Clearwater, who served with the legendary Merrill's Marauders during World War II, died Sunday (July 16, 2000) at his home. He was 84.

Mr. Nelson lived at a condominium on Sand Key since 1976. A former neighbor, Dr. John Ross, said the retired lieutenant colonel was unassuming.

"I couldn't believe he was such a famous person," Ross said.

Mr. Nelson was one of about 3,000 U.S. soldiers who volunteered for the unit that walked across Burma and the bridge over the River Kwai.

After World War II, Nelson remained in the Near East as head of operations for Ortho Pharmaceuticals, a division of Johnson & Johnson. He served as a representative in the Hawaiian Islands for both Ortho and Ehicon, and was Far East manager in Hong Kong until he returned to the United States in 1962.

He then worked in various positions in the pharmaceutical division and as export-development manager until he retired in 1976 and moved to Clearwater. He was a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society in New Jersey, serving on local, county and state levels.

Merrill's Marauders was formed after the Quebec Conference in August 1943, when Allied leaders decided an American long-range penetration mission was needed behind Japanese lines in Burma. Their mission would be to destroy Japanese supply lines and communications and harass the enemy forces while an attempt was made to reopen the vital Burma Road.

When Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a presidential call for volunteers for what was termed "a dangerous and hazardous mission," Mr. Nelson and fellow soldiers from stateside units, the jungles of Panama and Trinidad, the campaigns of Guadalcanal, New Guinea and New Georgia answered. They made up the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), code named Galahad. Soon the unit became popularly known as Merrill's Marauders, named after its leader, Brig. Gen. Frank Merrill.

After training in secrecy in the jungles of Central India, the Marauders marched up the Ledo Road and over outlying ranges of the Himalayan Mountains into Burma. With no tanks or heavy artillery to support them, Marauders walked more than 1,000 miles through extremely dense jungle.

In five major and 30 minor engagements, they defeated the soldiers of the Japanese 18th Division, who outnumbered them. The Marauders completely disrupted the enemy supply and communication lines and captured Myitkyina Airfield, the only all-weather airfield in Northern Burma.

At the end of the campaign, all Marauders still in action were evacuated to hospitals, suffering from tropical diseases, exhaustion and malnutrition or, as the tags on their battered uniforms said, "AOE" (accumulation of everything). For their accomplishments in Burma, each Marauder was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and the Bronze Star.

After he moved here, Mr. Nelson became a member of St. Cecelia Catholic Church, Clearwater, and was active in his condominium association.

Survivors include his wife, Lily A.; a daughter, Dr. Linda R. Nelson, Palos Park, Ill.; and several nieces and nephews.

Rhodes Funeral Directors, Druid Chapel, Clearwater, is in charge of arrangements.

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