Vietnam
-
MIA
Fallen
Casselton, ND
Circumstances:
In LZ, LAOS
Hostile, died while missing, FIXED WING - PILOT
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND
Body was recovered.12/11/2002
From DPAA
On December 11, 2002, Joint Task Force–Full Accounting (JTF-FA, now DPAA) identified the remains of Commander Delbert Austin Olson, missing from the Vietnam War.
Commander Olson entered the U.S. Navy from North Dakota and was a member of Observation Squadron 67. On January 11, 1968, he piloted an OP-2E Neptune (bureau number 131436, call sign "Lindy 08") that took off from Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand on an operational mission over Laos. While descending into the target area to perform its mission, the aircraft crashed for unknown reasons, killing CDR Olson. The aircraft wreckage fell on a remote mountainside in Khammouane Province, Laos and the heavy enemy presence and rugged terrain prevented search efforts; CDR Olson's remains were not recovered at the time. In 2001, a joint team excavated the crash site and recovered human remains, and in 2002, U.S. analysts identified CDR Olson from these remains.
Commander Olson is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
If you are a family member of this service member, you may contact your casualty office representative to learn more about your service member.
Service Members Associated with CDR DELBERT OLSON's Loss:
| ANDERSON; DENIS LEON Kansas | LT | Accounted For |
| BUCK; ARTHUR CHARLES Ohio | LTJG | Accounted For |
| MANCINI; RICHARD MICHAEL New York | AE2 | Accounted For |
| OLSON; DELBERT AUSTIN North Dakota | CDR | Accounted For |
| ROBERTS; MICHAEL LAND Mississippi | AO2 | Accounted For |
| SIOW; GALE ROBERT California | ATN3 | Accounted For |
| STEVENS; PHILIP PAUL Michigan | LT | Accounted For |
| THORESEN; DONALD NELLIS Michigan | ADJ2 | Accounted For |
| WIDON; KENNETH HARRY Michigan | PH2 | Accounted For |
Biography:
Born in Arthur, Cass County, North Dakota to parents Oscar and Lillian (Iwen) Olson. Graduated Casselton High School in 1944. Enlisted in Navy served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Married Patricia Dean Harris in August of 1958 and had 2 children Dana (Snyder) Olson now living in Kansas and Eric Olson. The couple later divorced.
Missing in action January 11, 1968 remains recovered in 1980's.
2024: Casselton American Legion Post 15 commander Carter Schultz begins efforts to name the Casselton Post office after Delbert Olson.