Roll of Honor
Norman Nelson
Incident
Seasonal Park Ranger Norman Nelson was killed in a vehicle crash while at 3:00 am while returning to Yosemite National Park from San Francisco on official business.
He had been sent to San Francisco to transport personal belongings of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who had just completed a week-long stay in the park. He had picked up a friend in Stockton for the return trip.
They were driving on All Year Highway (California Route 140) when his department vehicle left the roadway and went down a 20-foot embankment into Bear Creek between Bear Creek Lodge and Dawson Trail. Park Ranger Nelson and his friend were both killed in the crash.
Seasonal Park Ranger Nelson had served with the National Park Service as a seasonal ranger for three years.
Survivors
He was survived by his parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-2ED42556- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Seasonal Park Ranger Nelson gave the United States Department of the Interior 3 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Seasonal Park Ranger Nelson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Seasonal Park Ranger Norman Nelson is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service, 28 of 40 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 70% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Norman Nelson's cause is highlighted.
How Norman Nelson Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Norman Nelson is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
39 officers from United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
