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Submit- Full
name
OLSON, Marvin Charles - Date of
birth
1 October 1914 -
Age
30 - Place of
birth
Lone Tree, Uinta County, Wyoming -
Hometown
Apache County, Arizona
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
39085217 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
708th Bombardment Squadron,
447th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
25 November 1944 - Place of
death
Meuschau-Merseburg, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| J | 15 | 10 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Iver Olson (father)
Sarah E. (Boisen) Olson (mother)
Irene S. Olson (sister)
Vera M. Olson (sister)
Ellen H. Olson (sister)
Agnes F. Olson (sister)
Otto H. Olson (brother)
Jean Olson (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31154 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Shack Happy
Destination: Merseburg, Germany
Misson: Bombing of the synthetic oil refinery
MACR: 10755
More information
T/Sgt Marvin C. Olson was a lumberman.His father immigrated to the United States from Norway in 1890. His mother's family immigrated to the U.S. from Denmark prior to 1870.
He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at the Presidio of Monterey, California on 10 December 1941.
According to the MACR, the plane took a direct hit from flak in the bomb bay just before bombs away. A wing was blown off, and it disintegrated. Only the co-pilot and the tail gunner survived and were taken prisoner. The other seven crew members were killed and were initially buried at the cemetery of Meuschau.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Karla Verner, www.ancestry.com, U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records / Headstone and Interment Record / Family Tree
Photo source: Michel Beckers, Karla Verner