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Arlo L. Olson (April 20, 1918 – October 28, 1943) was a
Service Profile
/ref> By October 13, 1943, was serving as a
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
—for his actions in 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 ...
.
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 anEagle Scout
Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Sc ...
and one of nine Eagle Scouts who also were awarded the Medal of Honor. Olson attended the University of South Dakota from 1936 to 1940 were became a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and was commissioned through Army ROTC and following graduation./ref> By October 13, 1943, was serving as a
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
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
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. Olson repeatedly led his men in attacks against German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
forces, personally capturing several enemy positions, until he was mortally wounded during a reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
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 3
Fort Snelling National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory adjacent to the historic
fort and Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. It is the only National Cemetery in Minneso ...
, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
.
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
*List of Medal of Honor recipients
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their ...
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
This is a list of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II. The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recip ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olson, Arlo L. 1918 births 1943 deaths University of South Dakota alumni United States Army personnel killed in World War II United States Army Medal of Honor recipients United States Army officers People from Clay County, Iowa People from Deuel County, South Dakota World War II recipients of the Medal of Honor Military personnel from Iowa