President Joe Biden has posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Capt. Hugh Reavis Nelson Jr., a Rocky Mount, North Carolina native, for his valorous acts during the Vietnam War. According to CBS 17, the award comes nearly six decades after Nelson's death in combat.
Nelson, who was part of the 114th Aviation Company, was killed on June 5, 1966, following the downing of his Huey helicopter by enemy fire. During the attack, in a supreme act of bravery, Nelson rescued two members of his flight crew and shielded another with his body, reportedly absorbing up to 22 rounds to protect his comrade. "We've gotten multiple reports but some say our father took as many as 22 rounds to protect the other," told Nelson's son, Hugh Nelson III to ABC11.
Nelson had been previously recognized with a Distinguished Service Cross, however, efforts by his family and the advocacy by Senator Thom Tillis resulted in the upgrade to the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. "Captain Nelson was a true American hero whose unwavering courage and selfless service embody the very best of our state and nation," said Senator Tillis in a statement obtained by WITN.
Before his time in service, Nelson was born on July 11, 1937 and went on to graduate from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. His memory lives on through his widow, Elizabeth Dees Nelson, and their three children: Debra Ann, Margaret Dees, and Hugh Reavis Nelson III. The long journey to recognition, which took nearly seven years, culminates in a family, and a nation, paying homage to a man who exhibited exceptional valor under fire.
The White House ceremony was an emotional milestone for Nelson's family. Nelson's daughter, Debbie McKnight conveyed the surreal nature of the moment when President Biden called her to inform of the award. "When you answer the phone and he goes this is Joe Biden. He didn't say this is President Biden," McKnight said in an interview with ABC11. Reflecting on her father's character, she added, "Probably that he didn't deserve it. He didn't do anything special. He just did what anybody would and should do."
