Neilson, Courtney B “Dapper”, born 08-09-1916 in Johannesburg South Africa, 
living in South Bend, Indiana, 
United States, to Charles Butler Neilson and his wife Cora A. Neilson (1879–1940). 
His father moved his family to South Africa in 1896 to be a bicycle salesman. While in South Africa, Charles even sold a bike to Mahatma Gandhi. Charles became a chess champion and raced bicycles. Courtney learned to play chess with his father. He spent time with his brother, Howard, while on leave from the U.S. Army.
Courtney immigrated with his mother, Cora, through Ellis Island. They traveled to the U.S. via Buenos Aires, Argentina, arriving in New York City on 15-01-1925. His parents sent him to America to receive a better education. He later moved to South Bend, Indiana, where his sister, Marjorie, raised him. Courtney had one sister and two brothers. Marjorie Hilda Neilson (1901–2005), Wallace D Neilson (1904–1982) 
and Charles Howard Neilson (1906–1987). 
After graduating from high school, Courtney attended Purdue University, where he majored in engineering and participated in ROTC, Race of the Classics, the largest student sailing event in Europe.. He graduated from Purdue in 1938. The Debris, Purdue’s yearbook, includes his picture on several pages of the 1938 edition. 
He was a member of the Mechanical Engineering society Pi Tau Sigma. Members were chosen based on engineering ability, scholarship, and personality. In 1938, he was one of 20 members.
Neilsen was a family hero during World War II. Dave Neilson, Courtney’s nephew, said that his uncle loved the military and joined the airborne because he sought a challenge.
Neilson entered the U.S. Army 
after graduating from Purdue. The 1940 census shows him living at the Officer’s Club at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Neilson joined the experimental unit known in history as the 101st Airborne Division. 
under command of General Major Lee, William Carey “Bill”. Father Of The Airborne. 
Courtney specialized in artillery at Purdue and was assigned to the 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion. 
under command of Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Caruso 
Neilson trained in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina and often visited his sister, Marjorie, and his brother, Howard, in Aiken, South Carolina, when he had a weekend pass. His nephew recalled him playing with his two nephews. One night his nephew recalled him playing ten straight games of chess. Given his relative experience, he was promoted to captain by November 1942.
The 101st Airborne Division went to New York, where they boarded the HMS Strathnaver 
to sail to England. They departed 05-09-1943, but had to dock on September 8 in St. John’s, Newfoundland, for repairs. The ship was determined unsafe. So the unit boarded the HSwMS John Ericsson, 
a Swedish ship seized by the U.S. Despite many troubles, they arrived in Newbury on 14-10-1943. They finally landed in Liverpool, England, on 18-10-1943. From there, they took a train to Newbury, where they trained until D-Day. The 377th took off for France from Membury, England, in C-47s at about 11 pm on 05-06-1944.
As part of the 502nd Regimental Combat Team 
under command of George Van Horn Moseley Jr., 
on D-Day, the 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion was tasked with putting twelve 75mm howitzers into action. They would support the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment in the rear sector of Utah Beach near Saint-Martin-de-Varreville in drop zone A. The howitzers were assembled in seven parts. Four of them were put on the plane, and three of them were put into gear bags and stored under the plane. The group would land and then find and assemble the guns.
Death and burial ground of Neilson, Courtney B “Dapper”.
On D-Day, 06-06-1944 Neilson’s plane took off from Newbury, and Courtney jumped near Monteburg. Neilson’s stick missed their drop zone by about eight miles north of drop zone A. Neilson, age 27, landed in a tree in the middle of a German camp. 
He never made it out of the tree. An eye witness stated that there were dead Germans all around the tree.
Neilson was first buried in a churchyard in Montebourg, France, 
by his friend, Captain Felix M. Adams,
before being moved to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France Perceel Plot D Row 17 Grave 23.
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