World War II Honoree

Reed Gardner Olson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

West Jordan, Utah

Honored By

Gary and Sue Woods, Roberta Olson

Relationship

Nephew, Niece, Wife

WAS ON THE BEACH AT IWO JIMA WHEN THE U.S. FLAG WAS RAISED ON TOP ON MOUNT SURIBACHI, FEBRUARY 23, 1945. HIS MILITARY CAREER BEGAN ON JULY 1, 1943, WHEN HE ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE AS A YOUNG 19 YEAR OLD. HE WAS FIRST ASSIGNED TO ONE SEMESTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO V-12 UNIT, AND THEN TO PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, FOR BASIC TRAINING SCHOOL. AFTER BOOT CAMP, HE CONTINUED ON TO OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL IN QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, WHERE HE ATTENDED COMMUNICATION OFFICERS SCHOOL. ORDERS IN LATE DECEMBER SENT HIM TO SAN FRANCISCO VIA CAMP PENDLETON. FROM SAN FRANCISCO, HE SHIPPED OUT TO PEARL HARBOR, AND THEN TO GUAM ON AN AIR TRANSPORT PLANE. JOINED THE THIRD AMPHIBIAN TRACTOR BATTALION AS A COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER. AFTER PRACTICE LANDING AT SAIPAN, HE PARTICIPATED IN THE 5TH MARINE DIVISION ASSAULT LANDING ON THE JAPANESE ISLAND OF IWO JIMA. IN EARLY MARCH 1945, HE RETURNED TO MAUI, HAWAII, WHERE IMPROVED AMPHTRAC WERE WAITING FOR HIS UNIT TO TRAIN IN PREPARATION FOR THE AN AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT ON THE JAPANESE HOMELAND. IN AUGUST 1945, ATOMIC BOMBS WERE DROPPED ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI, EFFECTIVELY ENDING WWII. RETURNED HOME AT THE END OF MAY 1946, AND WAS RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY AS A MARINE CORPS MAJOR AT THE END OF JUNE THAT SAME YEAR.