Floyd Warren OlsenLieutenant Colonel17TH AHC, 10TH AVN BN, 16TH AVN GRP, 1 AVN BDE Army of the United States 03 September 1938 - 01 May 1978 Wheaton, Illinois Panel 51E Line 024 |
  
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The database page for Floyd Warren Olsen
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A resident of Floyd Olsen's hometown reported that while she never knew Maj. Olsen, she wore his bracelet for many years. She also reports that she spoke to a customer from the camera shop where she worked and learned that he was a college friend of Floyd's. He said that he was leaving in a few days (April,1998) on a trip to Vietnam. The reason for the trip was to dedicate a medical clinic in memory of Floyd Olsen. Several of Olsen's college buddies put up the money to rebuild the current clinic that had been serving the area. It is nice to hear that Maj. Olsen has not been forgotten by family and those who knew him from happier times. I learned this information from another web site. I too, wore Maj. Olsen's bracelet for many years, and watched, with the rest of the country, hoping he would be among those POW's returned to their friends and families. I still keep my bracelet and look at it often, remembering and honoring this brave man. He will never be forgotten.
From one who wore his MIA bracelet. |
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I also have Floyd Olsen's POW bracelet. I wear it and share what I know with the kids at my school. I grieve for Floyd Olsen all all the others. |
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While cleaning out a drawer this morning, I found the MIA bracelet I wore during college and afterwards. It was for Major Floyd Olsen and I wondered if any information was available. I appreciated finding this site and that there were others like me who haven't forgotten these soldiers. And now with another war (Iraq), where Americans are questioning why we're there, it brings back sad memories. How nice that family and friends have set up a memorial in Vietnam to honor this soldier. I plan to keep the bracelet as a reminder and to share this story with my adult children and their children.
From one who wore his MIA bracelet. |
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I wore Maj. Floyd Olsen's MIA bracelet for a brief time in 1969,
Long presumed lost, I found the bracelet recently. It's on display
Howard R. Schisler, III |
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I received my Major Floyd Olsen bracelet in 1972 and I continue to proudly wear it today. (Although I do remove it during the summer months as the Arizona heat causes it to burn my wrist.) I continue to wear it so that when people ask me about it I can take the opportunity to teach others about what the bracelet represents, both then and now. I have been to visit the Wall twice and the emotional effect it has on me is beyond powerful. I don't want any person whose name appears on that Wall or any other monument to ever be forgotten or their sacrafice to be diminished. E-mail address is not available. |
Notes from The Virtual WallOn 21 April 1968, six men of the 17th Assault Helicopter Company departed Phu Bai in a UH-1H (hull number 66-16209, piloted by Warrant Officer Robert C. Link) for a recovery mission at Landing Zone Veghel. The last communication with Link advised that the recovery mission had been canceled due to bad weather and the tactical situation around LZ Veghel. Link failed to return to Phu Bai, attempts to raise the aircraft by radio failed, and the aircraft could not located at other fields in the area.Link's last known location was over extremely rugged, double-canopy jungle covered mountains approximately 4 miles northeast of the A Shau Valley. On 22 April, an extensive visual and electronic search was conducted from dawn until 1830 hours. Search and rescue (SAR) operations continued throughout the next week without success. At termination of the formal search the six men were placed in MIA status. On 8 May, ARVN troops found SP5 Johnson's dog tags in a non-US 3/4-ton truck. On 25 May, a UH-1C gunship from the 101st Airborne Division sighted the tail boom of a crashed helicopter and on 26 May the downed aircraft was positively identified by its tail number. On 27 May troops from A/1/327th Inf were inserted to locate the helicopter and, if possible, recover the crew. The troops did locate the main rotor blades in a river bed 200 meters west of the tail boom, but before the cabin section could be located the troops came under enemy fire and were forced to depart the area. However, they were able to determine the helicopter was downed by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) fire. The LZ Sally web site gives this account: "A UH-1H helicopter belonging to the 17th Assault Helicopter Company crashed on to LZ Veghel on April 20th. On April 21st one of the ground commanders on LZ Veghel requested the removal of this aircraft as well as a downed Marine gunship. He believed that the downed aircraft would hamper ground operations on the LZ. A UH-1H from the 17th AHC with six men aboard was sent to Veghel to rig the downed Huey for extraction. The Marines would have to okay the extraction of their aircraft. The weather around Veghel was overcast with fog and low clouds. While the one Huey was over the vicinity of Veghel the remainder of the 17th AHC was flying a combat assault in the area. At about 1500 hours the maintenance aircraft was told that the extraction mission was cancelled, and this radio transmission was acknowledged . That was the last contact that anyone would have with the lone Huey. Parts of the missing aircraft would later be seen scattered over an area located about 5 kilometers from LZ Veghel. It had apparently exploded in mid-air after being hit by enemy anti-aircraft artillery. Neither the remains of the crew nor any of their personal effects have ever been found.The missing men were
More information is available on the Note: Most accounts contain two errors:
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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 8 Sep 2002
Last updated 08/10/2009