World War II Honoree

Robert Dale Olson

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

Honored By

Dave Brewer

Relationship

Historian

AWARDED NAVY CROSS POSTHUMOUSLY SERVED AS A CARRIER BASED BOMBER PILOT IN BOMBING SQUADRON(VB-20) ABOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE(CV-6). WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON OCTOBER 24, 1944 AT THE BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF. WAS ASSIGNED TO ATTACK THE JAPANESE BATTLESHIP MUSASHI. FLYING THROUGH BARRAGES OF ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE, AND AT AN EXTREMELY LOW ALTITUDE SCORED DIRECT BOMB HITS RESULTING IN FIRES AND SERIOUS STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE MUSASHI. NAVY CROSS AWARD READS, 'HIS SUPERB AIRMANSHIP, INSPIRING COURAGE AND UNWAVERING DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECT THE HIGHEST CREDIT UPON ENSIGN OLSON AND THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE'.