On Friday afternoon, the Congressional Medal of Honor is being awarded posthumously Captain Hugh Reavis Nelson, ’59. Captain Nelson was an Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam in 1966 when he rescued his crew from a downed aircraft and with his own body shielded the injured crewmembers from nearby enemy fire until those crewmembers were airlifted to safety. Nelson was killed protecting his men. Remarkably, Captain Nelson’s co-pilot on his final flight, who survived the crash and was rescued, was another graduate of The Citadel, Captain Bailey Jones, ’64. Nelson was previously awarded the Army’s Distinguished Service Cross which has now been upgraded to the Medal of Honor. A link to the DSC citation can be found here. Captain Nelson is the first graduate of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, to receive the Medal of Honor.
During his time at The Citadel, Nelson was a member of the Brigadier, English Club, Yacht Club, Flying Club, Canterbury Club, and the Army Flight Program. He also participated in intramural sports, while pursuing a degree in English.
“Captain Hugh Reavis Nelson, Jr. exemplified the highest values of courage, selflessness and leadership that we instill in every Citadel cadet. Nelson’s service to his comrades and country remains an enduring inspiration for us all. We will continue to honor his legacy with deep gratitude and unwavering pride and are proud to acknowledge him, not only as a Citadel graduate, but now also as a Medal of Honor recipient," said The Citadel President Gen. Glenn Walters, USMC (Ret.), ’79.
Two service members who attended The Citadel, but did not graduate, have previously been awarded the Medal of Honor. Sergeant First Class Christopher A. Celiz attended The Citadel for three years before enlisting in the Army. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2018 while evacuating wounded personnel under heavy enemy fire. Brigadier General John Thomas Kennedy attended The Citadel for one year before transferring to West Point. As a 2nd Lieutenant, he was severely wounded in the Philippine-American War when he led an assault against enemy combatants in a cave.
Cadet Tomas Fitzpatrick, the top Army ROTC cadet at The Citadel who will be attending the Medal of Honor Ceremony in DC, said Nelson is a clear example of someone who went above and beyond to answer the call of duty.
“The sacrifice of Captain Hugh Nelson is a powerful reminder of the values we uphold at The Citadel — honor, duty and respect. As someone who plans to enlist in the U.S. Army after graduation, we all strive to lead with the same bravery and commitment to his fellow soldiers that Captain Hugh Reavis Nelson, Jr. demonstrated.”
The Medal of Honor is awarded to any service member who “distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.” This is not an award for mere bravery. The Medal of Honor is awarded to those who, if they did not act in the face of their circumstances, would not be judged poorly by others, but regardless these individuals made a decision to do something extraordinary and unexpected. Generally, the Medal of Honor must be awarded within 5 years of the recognized act of bravery, but Congress can waive that requirement. More information about the Medal of Honor can be found here.