Laverne Wayne Swede Nelson was born Laverne Duane Stock at Cicero (Chicago), Cook County, Illinois on March 7, 1923. His parents were Julius Stock (11 Mar 1893 abt 1959), who was born at Gronigen, Holland and immigrated to America with his parents in March 1910; and Martha Lena (Nelson) Stock (11 Apr 1902 18 Mar 1923), who was born at Richmond, McHenry County, Illinois. His parents married at McHenry County, Illinois in September 1920, and lived at Crystal Lake, McHenry County, Illinois. He had an older brother, Robert Julius Stock (16 Apr 1921 19 Jul 2004). In Fall 1922 the family moved to Chicago, Illinois, where his father was employed. His mother died at Frances E. Willard Hospital (now Loretto Hospital in Chicago) eleven days after he was born. He was adopted and raised by his mother's parents, Peter and Bertha Nelson, in Crystal Lake, Illinois. His adopted name was Laverne Wayne Nelson. His friends called him Swede.
He attended Bethany Lutheran Church in Crystal Lake, and was president of the Luther League. He graduated from Crystal Lake Community High School in 1941, and worked at the Crystal Lake News Agency. He registered for the draft at Woodstock, Illinois on June 27, 1942. He was 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighed 155 pounds, and had brown eyes and light brown hair. At that time he lived with his mother's parents at 129 Ellsworth Street in Crystal Lake, and worked for the Oak Manufacturing Company. In 1943 he was informally engaged to Miss Marilyn Kerns of Woodstock, Illinois.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army and entered active service on March 1, 1943. He completed Army Air Forces flight engineer and aerial gunnery training, and was assigned as flight engineer and top turret gunner on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Raymond F. Jackson. The Jackson crew completed B-17 operational training in the States, and flew overseas about May 1944. The crew entered the European Theatre at Nutts Corner, Northern Ireland, and was assigned to the 836th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. They arrived at Station 137 by July 24, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.
S/Sgt Nelson and six of his crew mates were killed in action on September 30, 1944, when their aircraft, B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Belle', collided with B-17G 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' after bombs away over Bielefeld, Germany. Apparently B-17G 43-38154 'Heavenly Body', flying in the number 7 position of the Low Squadron, was caught in prop wash turbulence during the descending turn away from the target. This aircraft, piloted by Lt Harold E. Oesch, flipped over on its back and collided with B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Belle', piloted by Lt Jackson, who was flying in the number 9 position. (Note: This is based on an eyewitness account, and differs from the report in MACR 9422.) 'Liberty Belle' lost its outboard starboard wing, and both ships went down. Two men on Lt Jackson's crew survived. Only the bombardier on Lt Oesch's crew, Lt Zalneraitis, survived.
S/Sgt Nelson is now buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.
B-17G 43-38037 crew:
Jackson, Raymond F 1/Lt Pilot KIA
Sherrill, Theodore I 2/Lt Copilot KIA
Franke Jr, John H 2/Lt Navigator POW
Plevak, Edward C 2/Lt Bombardier KIA
Nelson, Laverne W S/Sgt Engineer KIA
Michael, George R S/Sgt Radio Operator POW
Rogers, Willie S/Sgt Ball Turret Gunner KIA
Ballard, Bennie L Sgt Waist Gunner KIA
Harcq Jr, Benjamin W S/Sgt Tail Gunner KIA
Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov