Patrick Henry Nelson III (March 11, 1910 – June 28, 1964) was an American politician, U.S. Marine veteran of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, and attorney from

Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city ...

Early life and education

Nelson was born in

, to attorney William Shannon Nelson (1881–1939) and Frances Geddes Nelson. After graduating from The University of South Carolina and The

University of South Carolina School of Law The University of South Carolina School of Law, also known as South Carolina Law School, is a professional school within the University of South Carolina. The school of law was founded in 1867, and remains the only public and non-profit law schoo ...

, Nelson practiced law with Nelson Law Firm, (the firm started by his grandfather,

Patrick Henry Nelson II Patrick Henry Nelson II (October 3, 1856 - June 20, 1914) was born in Camden, South Carolina to General Patrick Henry Nelson, of the Confederate States Army, and Emma Sarah Cantey. After attending The University of the South, Nelson went to read ...

Military and political service

In 1941 Nelson joined the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

after the Japanese bombed

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Re ...

and the United States entered the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. He served in The Fighting Bengals ( Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224) throughout the war and fought across the Pacific (including the Guadalcanal Campaign, the

Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign The Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign were a series of battles fought from August 1942 through February 1944, in the Pacific theatre of World War II between the United States and Japan. They were the first steps of the drive across the cent ...

, Funafuti, Ellice Islands, and other battles and engagements). In 1944, while serving in Roi Namur, Marshall Islands, Captain Nelson worked with

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, author, inventor, and activist. On May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris, a distance o ...

, who served as an aviation advisor to the Fighting Bengals. Following the war, he returned home to South Carolina to practice law, and was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. Nelson was also elected as president of the Richland County Bar Association.

Legal career

Nelson worked with his father, William Shannon Nelson (1881–1939), to expand The Nelson Law Firm, to national standing. Nelson would come to run the law firm and continue its expansion. The firm is now the largest law firm in South Carolina. The Nelson Law Firm is now known as

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP (commonly referred to simply as Nelson Mullins) is a U.S. law firm and lobby group based in Columbia, South Carolina. Nelson Mullins has over 1000 attorneys, policy advisors, and professionals across 31 offi ...

(commonly referred to as Nelson Mullins) which is a large

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

law firm A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients (individuals or corporations) about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to r ...

and

lobby group In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, which ...

based in

Personal life

He married Elizabeth Juliet Nicholson, of

Edgefield, South Carolina Edgefield is a town in Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,750 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Edgefield County. Edgefield is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area. Geography Edgefield is l ...

, and had three children (including Elizabeth Nelson Adams, artist and poet). Nelson is the great-grandson of

Patrick Henry Nelson Patrick Henry Nelson (July 26, 1824 – June 24, 1864) was a Confederate States Army officer and militia general from South Carolina during the American Civil War. Biography Patrick Henry Nelson was born in Clarendon County, South Carolina to S ...

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

officer and militia general from

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Death

Nelson was diagnosed with cancer and died at Duke University Hospital, now

Duke Cancer Institute The Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) is a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, research facility, and hospital. The center is part of the Duke University School of Medicine and Duke University Health System located in Dur ...

, in

Durham, North Carolina Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County and Wake County, North Carol ...

, at the age of 54.

External links

'Patrick Henry Nelson III, The Fighting Bengals Personnel''

''Photo of Capt Patrick Henry Nelson III, USMC, Roi Namur, Marshall Islands, 1944''

''The Fighting Bengals, Funafuti, Ellice Islands, 1943''

''Personnel Listing, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 224, The Fighting Bengals, Roi Namur 1944''

''The Wartime Journals of Charles A. Lindbergh, Roi Namur, 1944''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Patrick Henry III 1910 births 1964 deaths People from Columbia, South Carolina South Carolina lawyers Members of the South Carolina House of Representatives 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century American politicians University of South Carolina alumni University of South Carolina School of Law alumni United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II