Lt Col Elvis J. Nelson Jr.,
USAF (Ret)
Cherokee

A Legacy of Distinguished Service

In partnership with the Irving Archives and Museum

Lt Col Elvis J. Nelson Jr., USAF (Ret)
Cherokee
Vietnam War
Service, 1962–1982
1940–2025

Lt Col Elvis J. Nelson Jr., USAF (Ret) was born in Grove, Oklahoma, and carried his Cherokee heritage with pride throughout a distinguished twenty-year career in the United States Air Force.

ROTC & Early Career

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the Municipal University of Omaha and participating in the Reserve Officer Training Corps, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and began active duty at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Lt Col Nelson Jr. (then a Cadet) in the Municipal University of Omaha Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Lt Col Nelson Jr.'s mother pins his rank insignia of Second Lieutenant at his commissioning ceremony.

From 1964 to 1967, he served under the Office of the Inspector General at Headquarters, Air Training Command, where he improved inspection systems and earned his first Air Force Commendation Medal.

Vietnam War & Beyond

During the Vietnam War, Lt Col Nelson Jr. served at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base as Chief, Data Automation, for the 12th and 483rd Combat Support Groups. There, he developed computer programs that significantly reduced manpower hours and financial costs. For his meritorious service and participation in four Vietnam campaigns, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Post–War: Forming Effective and Efficient Units

Following Vietnam, Lt Col Nelson Jr. served at the Air Force Data Systems Design Center within the Directorates of Logistics Systems, Comptroller Systems, and Medical Systems. His contributions earned him the Meritorious Service Medal.

From 1976 to 1979, he served as Deputy Chief, Office of Management Control, Tri-Service Medical Information Systems Program Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Health Affairs. His leadership in developing systems to track program outcomes earned him the Joint Service Commendation Medal.

In his final assignment, he served as Chief, Program Management Division, Mission Support Deputate, 552nd Airborne Warning and Control Wing, at Tinker Air Force Base. Under his leadership, the E-3A Sentry Program achieved an outstanding Management Effectiveness Inspection rating. For his leadership, he was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for the second time.

Cherokee Heritage and Community Leadership

While stationed at the Pentagon, Lt Col Nelson Jr. began researching his Cherokee ancestry at the Library of Congress. What began as personal curiosity became a lifelong commitment to heritage and service.

After retiring to the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, he became active in the Cherokee Community of North Texas, eventually serving as Deputy Speaker and later as Speaker from 2018 to 2021. His leadership strengthened community engagement and cultural education.

In May 2025, the Collin County History Museum opened a Research Room featuring 229 books from his personal collection on Cherokee history and heritage, reflecting his dedication to preserving knowledge for future generations.

Character and Commitment

Throughout his career, Lt Col Nelson Jr. was known for discipline, creativity, and integrity. At Tinker Air Force Base, he devised an Olympic themed physical training program to motivate airmen. In Vietnam, he demonstrated practical leadership by securing needed computer components through resourceful cooperation with neighboring units.

He believed that a person’s word defined their character and that citizenship required active participation. Even after retirement, he considered serving again during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, demonstrating that his sense of duty endured beyond active service.

In his final years, he mentored a young man in his community who later pursued Reserve Officer Training Corps studies at the University of North Texas. As a testament to the lasting impact of his leadership, that young man was at Lt Col Nelson Jr.'s side when he passed away in 2025.