William Thackeray Nelson (1908 - 1994)

Biography

Rear Admiral William T. Nelson was born in 1908 in Massachusetts. He was the son of Rear Admiral John Thackeray Nelson (1877–1946) and Minnie Elizabeth Turner (1877–1943). ^{[1] [2]}

The 1910 Census^[3] shows him at age one year six months with his parents in Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts.

The 1920 Census^[4] shows him at age 11 in the home of his parents in Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts.

He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1930, and began his career in the Navy in submarines.

He married Lillie Moore Watson on 13 Apr 1936 in Honolulu, Oahu, Honolulu County, Hawaii Territory. ^[5] They had two daughters.

The 1940 Census^[6] shows him at age 31 with his wife in Honolulu, Hawaii Territory. His occupation is Lieutenant, U.S. Navy.

He served during World War II, commanding the submaries: USS R-7 (SS-84),^[7] USS Peto (SS-265),^[8] and USS Lamprey (SS-372).^[9]

In 1959, he was promoted to rear admiral and became a cruiser division commander in the Pacific Fleet.

He wrote a book called "Fresh Water Submarines: The Manitowoc Story," published 1 Jun 1986. Both the Peto and the Lamprey were built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company of Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

He died in 1994 in Virginia,^[10] and is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXJH-F8D : 15 November 2022), William T. Nelson, 1908.
2. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DZ8R-75PZ : 20 May 2022), William T. Nelson, 15 Oct 1908; citing Birth, Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 004267418.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1910"
   FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2N5-CQZ : accessed 19 December 2022), William T Nelson in household of John T Nelson.
   Image path: United States Census, 1910 > Massachusetts > Bristol > Fall River Ward 3 > ED 134 > image 27 of 38; citing NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RVP-GWZ (accessed 19 December 2022)
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1920"
   FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXTP-8MH : 1 February 2021), William C Nilson in entry for John T Nilson.
   Image path: United States Census, 1920 > Massachusetts > Bristol > Fall River Ward 3 > ED 49 > image 35 of 36; citing NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9R61-W92 (accessed 20 December 2022)
5. ↑ "Hawaii, Board of Health, Marriage Record Indexes, 1909-1989," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:C6LH-9FZM : 1 July 2022), William Thackeray Nelson, 13 Apr 1936; citing Marriage, Honolulu, Oahu, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Status Monitoring, Honolulu.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1940"
   Catalog: Hawaii, 1940 population census : population schedules Hawaii Territory (Honolulu County)
   Image path: United States Census, 1940 > Hawaii Territory > Honolulu > Representative District 4, Honolulu Judicial District, Tract 21 > 2-46 Representative District 4, Honolulu Judicial District (Tract 21 - part) in Taxation Zone 2 Section 9 bounded by (N) Judicial District Line; (E) Taxation Section line; (S) Taxation Section line, Manoa Stream, E Manoa Rd, Lowrey Av; (W) Manoa Rd, Waini Stream > image 9 of 22; citing Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012.
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89MB-GF2N (accessed 20 December 2022)
7. ↑ R-7 (SS-84) WWII command history
8. ↑ Peto (SS-265) WWII command history
9. ↑ Lamprey (SS-372) WWII command history
10. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J24K-DQ3 : 8 January 2021), William T Nelson, 11 Sep 1994; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
11. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #49295977 page for William Thackeray Nelson (15 Oct 1908–11 Sep 1994), citing Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA; accessed 19 December 2022; Maintained by John C. Anderson (contributor 47208015).

• FamilySearch profile for William Thackeray Nelson (1908–1994), accessed 19 Dec 2022.

• Obituary for William T. Nelson, The Washington Post, Washington, D.C., 13 Sep 1994, found on WashingtonPost.com

See also:

• William T. Nelson on Wikipedia

• https://uboat.net/allies/commanders/3483.html

• William Thackeray Nelson, 1930 Lucky Bag, U.S. Naval Academy

• https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Water-Submarines-Manitowoc-Story/dp/9997184319