Today marks the World War I centenary, although it would be a few more years before Ole James Nelson, a young farmer from rural Yankton County, South Dakota, would make his way overseas as a mechanic with the U.S. Navy Aviation Section.

Ole enlisted on 3 May 1917 at the age of twenty-two, within a month of the United States entering the war.¹ According to a county history, he served in Eastleigh, Hampshire, England.² His journey to Eastleigh, however, may have been a roundabout one; in fact, he may not have left American soil for at least a year after his enlistment. One photograph suggests that he completed his training in Buffalo, New York;³ another photograph was sent to his family from Charleston, South Carolina, in May of 1918.⁴ That October, his sister wrote to him, commenting, “Wonder if you are still at Quebec.”⁵

Ole Nelson, Charleston, South Carolina, 1918; digital image 2013, privately held by Melanie Frick, 2014.

Ole’s time in Eastleigh was likely brief. The United States Navy established a naval air station in Eastleigh in July of 1918 to assemble and repair aircraft, including Caproni Ca.5 and Airco DH.4 and DH.9 bombers.⁶ This, almost certainly, is how Ole made use of his time as a mechanic. The base was in operation, however, for only a matter of months, as it closed following the armistice later that year.⁷

As it turned out, Ole’s days in the service were numbered, although not because the “war to end all wars” was winding down. After receiving notification of his father’s unexpected death, which had taken place a matter of days before the armistice,⁸ Ole applied for an honorable discharge, which was granted on 29 January 1919.⁹ As the eldest son, Ole was to return home to manage his family’s farm and to care for his mother and younger siblings; what he did not learn until his return, however, was that one of his sisters had also passed away in his absence, having succumbed to what was said to be a combination of Spanish Influenza and shock at the death of her father.¹⁰

A return to the farm, following what must have been an exciting time in this young man’s life, was perhaps not what Ole had initially had in mind for his future, but after duty to his country, he had a duty to his family.

SOURCES
¹ “Military History – Yankton County Roster of World War I,” in Ben Van Osdel and Don Binder, editors, History of Yankton County, South Dakota (Yankton, South Dakota: Curtis Media Corporation and the Yankton County Historical Society, 1987), 92.
² “Military History – Yankton County Roster of World War I,” History of Yankton County, South Dakota, 92.
³ Buffalo Headquarters for Artificers of U.S. Navy Aviation Section, Buffalo, New York, 1917; digital image 2010, privately held by Melanie Frick, 2014.
⁴ Ole Nelson, Charleston, South Carolina, 1918; digital image 2013, privately held by Melanie Frick, 2014.
⁵ Andrea Nelson to Ole Nelson, letter, concerning World War I, 4 October 1918; privately held by [personal information withheld].
⁶ Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org), “Eastleigh,” rev. 15:44, 2 August 2014.
⁷ Wikipedia, “Eastleigh,” rev. 15:44, 2 August 2014.
⁸ Yankton County, South Dakota, Death Record, Fred Nelson; Registrar’s Office, Yankton.
⁹ “Military History – Yankton County Roster of World War I,” History of Yankton County, South Dakota, 92.
¹⁰ “Death of Andrea Nelson,” undated clipping, ca. December 1918, from unidentified newspaper; Adam Family, privately held by Melanie Frick.