World War II Honoree

Harvey Sigurd Olson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lake Bronson, Minnesota

Honored By

Shane Olson

Relationship

Great Nephew

ENLISTED MARCH 1941 AND TRAINED AT FORT MEADE, SOUTH DAKOTA ON HORSEBACK. SERVED WITH TROOP A, 4TH CAVALRY RECONNAISSANCE AND VOLUNTEERED FOR A HAZARDOUS MISSION ON D-DAY. AWARDED SILVER STAR FOR ACTIONS PRIOR TO THE MAIN LANDINGS AS HE AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE 4TH CAVALRY, ARMED ONLY WITH KNIVES ON SMALL RUBBER RAFTS IN HEAVILY-MINED SURF, AT H-HOUR MINUS 2 HOURS, LANDED ON THE ILES ST. MARCOUF. THEY WERE THE FIRST AMPHIBIOUS TROOPS TO REACH FRENCH SOIL ON D-DAY. LATER THAT MORNING, HE WAS PROMOTED TO SERGEANT. FOUGHT AT UTAH BEACH THROUGH NORMANDY AND WAS WOUNDED AT THE BATTLE OF MORTAIN AND AT THE BATTLE OF VILLEDIEU. FOUGHT THROUGHOUT THE HUERTGEN FOREST, THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE AND INTO GERMANY. HE WAS IN THE HARZ MOUNTAINS ON V-E DAY AND WAS DISCHARGED ON THE POINTS SYSTEM WITH 125 POINTS. REMAINED A CAREER MAN RETIRING IN 1963.