OLSON-VIRGIL
VIRGIL D. OLSON
Rate/Rank
COL
COL
Service Branch
USMC 00/0000 - 00/0000
Born
02/26/1919
CHARTER OAK, IA
DIVE BOMBER MISSIONS, PACIFIC, WORLD WAR II
KOREAN CONFLICT
COMMANDER, MARINE CORPS HELICOPTER SQUADRON ONE
OFFICIAL PILOT MARINE CORPS ONE, PRESIDENT EISENHOWER
CHIEF OF STAFF, 1ST MARINE AIRCRAFT WING, VIETNAM
CHIEF OF STAFF, USMC EDU & DEVELOP COMMAND, QUANTICO, VA
LEGION OF MERIT
DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS (2)
AIR MEDAL (7)
During the Korean War, COL Olson flew helicopter search and rescue missions. His family said that during one mission he spotted an aircraft floating in a rice paddy. Spotting the plane's pilot standing on the wings, COL Olson swooped down to pick up the downed American. It was Marine Corps pilot Ted Williams, best known as a slugger for the Boston Red Sox.