World War II Honoree

Bertil R. Olson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Suffolk County, New York

Honored By

VFW Post 550, East Hampton, NY

U.S. AIR FORCE TECH SERGEANT. SERVED IN 568TH BOMBER SQUADRON, 390TH BOMBER GROUP, 8TH AIR FORCE, STATIONED IN ENGLAND FROM AUGUST 15, 1943 TO OCTOBER 10, 1943. HE WAS THE ENGINEER/TOP TURRET GUNNER ON A B-17 FLYING FORTRESS AIRCRAFT. DURING THIS PERIOD HE PARTICIPATED IN 12 BOMBING MISSIONS TO GERMAN INDUSTRIAL CITIES INCLUDING REGANSBURG, STUTTGART, HANAU AND MUNSTER. ON HIS INITIAL MISSION (AUGUST 17TH) IN THE B-17F 'BLOOD, GUTS AND RUST'; IT WAS HIT WITH FLAK AFTER THE RAID AND HAD TO SETTLE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA WITH THE ENTIRE CREW BEING SAVED. ON HIS 12TH MISSION, THE B-17F 'MIS - FORTUNE' AGAIN, AFTER A SUCCESSFUL BOMB DROP THE PLANE WAS HIT WITH A ROCKET. THE TAIL CAME OFF AND THAN THE PLANE BROKE IN HALF. KILLED IN ACTION; OCTOBER 10, 1943. WAS BURIED IN EUROPE. LATER, AT THE REQUEST OF HIS FAMILY WAS BROUGHT HOME AND RE-BURIED IN THE NATIONAL CEMETERY; BEVERLY, NEW JERSEY, MARCH 23, 1950.