Arlo L. Olson Explained

Arlo L. Olson
Birth Date:20 April 1918
Birth Place:Greenville, Iowa, US
Death Place:Monte San Nicola, Lazio, Italy
Placeofburial:Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Placeofburial Label:Place of burial
Serviceyears:1941 - 1943
Rank: Captain
Unit:15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division
Battles:World War II
Awards:Medal of Honor
Purple Heart

Arlo L. Olson (April 20, 1918  - October 28, 1943) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.

Biography

Olson's family moved to South Dakota 10 years after he was born and he attended school in Toronto, South Dakota. He is also an Eagle Scout and one of nine Eagle Scouts who also were awarded the Medal of Honor.[1] Olson attended the University of South Dakota from 1936 to 1940 where he became a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity,[2] and was commissioned through Army ROTC and following graduation.[3] By October 13, 1943, was serving as a captain in the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. On that day and the following two weeks, he showed conspicuous leadership during the push across the Volturno River in Italy. Olson repeatedly led his men in attacks against German forces, personally capturing several enemy positions, until he was mortally wounded during a reconnaissance patrol. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor ten months later, on August 31, 1944.

Olson, aged 25 at his death, was buried in Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

His wife, Myra (Boudreaux) Olson and daughter, Sandra Laverne Olson survived him. (Now deceased). Still living are his granddaughter, Katrin Danielle (Sirjane) Woods; his great-granddaughters, Faith Mikel (Rousselle) Bush and Cameron Danielle Woods; and his great-great-grandson, Christopher Odin Bush.

Medal of Honor citation

Captain Olson's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient CPT Arlo L. Olson . South Dakota Department of Military and Veteran Affairs . May 5, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110223170329/http://mva.sd.gov/images/MOH/Olson.pdf . February 23, 2011 .
  2. Web site: Notable Fraternity Alumni: Medal of Honor Recipients - North American Interfraternity Conference . 2018-12-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181215221817/https://nicfraternity.org/notable-fraternity-alumni/medal-of-honor-recipients/ . 2018-12-15 . dead .
  3. http://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=302025 Service Profile