On July 11, 1944, while serving as navigator-gunnery officer of the B-24 bomber Flak Alley II, Kaua‘i-born-and-raised 1st. Lt. “Oley” Olaf Olsen (1916-1971) became the first Kaua‘i serviceman wounded in the European theater air forces, when his bomber was hit
On July 11, 1944, while serving as navigator-gunnery officer of the B-24 bomber Flak Alley II, Kaua‘i-born-and-raised 1st. Lt. “Oley” Olaf Olsen (1916-1971) became the first Kaua‘i serviceman wounded in the European theater air forces, when his bomber was hit by flak over Munich, Germany, and forced to ditch in the English Channel.
Flak hit the bomber just prior to its bomb release, damaging all four of its engines, but Flak Alley II was still able to drop its bombs and hold flight formation on its return flight to base in Colgate, England, until approximately one hour before reaching the coast of Europe.
At that time, the bomber’s pilot, 1st. Lt. Bonnet, realizing the bomber would not make it to England, informed his P-38 escort fighters and Colgate air base of his decision to ditch. He then jettisoned equipment and ordered his crew to ditching stations.
By the time the bomber reached the English Channel, its engines had failed and Bonnet and copilot Van Dyke were trying to slow its descent.
Despite their efforts, the bomber hit the channel at 100 mph and broke in two, killing engineer Kushinski. Gunners McCandless, Butler, Belsky and Banning were drowned.
Three of the four survivors, Bonnet, Van Dyke, and Olsen, his left leg shattered, managed to climb aboard a dinghy in icy waters with 18-foot-high waves, while badly injured radio operator Garvey was weakening as he alternately surfaced and sunk alongside.
Garvey was at the moment of death when Olsen, in great pain, reached over, grabbed his epaulets and held him until the four were rescued by an English destroyer.
Lt. “Oley” Olsen’s leg was operated on in England and in the United States, where he recovered. Kaua‘i’s “Oley” Olsen eventually settled in California.
