Born November 15, 1921 at Ossineke, MI. Enlisted USAAC at Detroit, MI, February 1942. Attended Aviation Cadet Center at San Antonio for Preflight School, Class 43-B; pilot training at Pine Bluff, AR; Randolph Field, TX and Ellington Field, TX. Received wings and commission at Ellington and B-25 training at Greenville, SC.
Left the States on November 29, 1943 with eight other planes and crews. Flew to Corsica via South America, Ascension Island, Liberia in Central Africa, Dakar, Tindouf in the Sahara Desert, Casablanca and Philippeville, Algeria. Assigned 428th BS, 310th BG, 12th AF. Flew missions over Italy and southern France, targeting shipping, harbors, bridges and railroad yards. Hit Avignon, Marcielles and Toulon at time of southern France invasion.
Capt. Olsen completed 70 missions and was awarded the DFC and eight Air Medals, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the WWII Victory Medal. Reassigned to the States in October 1944. Attended AF Central Instructors School at Randolph Field, TX. Served as flight instructor at La Junta AFB, CO and Luke AFB, AZ. Later appointed provost marshal at Luke.
Relieved from active duty January 1, 1946. Returned to school and received BCE degree from the University of Detroit in 1950. Worked 42 years for The Detroit Edison Company. Retired in 1984 and now lives in San Diego, CA.
Married Georgia Marie Farrell on November 1, 1944 and has seven children and 13 grandchildren.