Stanley Fielding Olson

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
UPL 78534 UPL 78534 Liberator B-24D, 4240172, Lynn Bari II, in the 506th Bomb Squadron, the 44th Bomb Group, "The Flying 8 Balls", in the 8th Air Force, TDY to the 9th Air Force. Flown on the low level Ploesti mission by the crew in the photo, returning safely to Benghazi, Libya. 1 Aug 1943.

Rear - L to R : SSgt. George E Hartney - Lt. Ronald S. Allen - Capt William N Anderson - Lt. Stanley F. Olson - Lt. Charles M. Shaw - Cpl. Victor A. McMenamin.

Front - L to R : Cpl. Clifford C. Hurst - SSgt Oscar Ferkauff - TSgt. Walter N. Goodson - Sgt. J. R. Bell - SSgt. Allie T. Hearne Jr.

Cropped from image media-14538.jpeg (media id 16276)
Removed punctuation from aircraft name for clarity, uniformity, and readability. - Kickapoo

Object Number - UPL 78534 - Liberator B-24D, 4240172, Lynn Bari II, in the 506th Bomb Squadron, the 44th Bomb Group, "The Flying 8 Balls", in the 8th Air Force, TDY to the 9th...

Assigned to 506BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Attached to 9AF USAAF, TDY in North Africa. 24 x combat missions.



Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying in B-24 Liberator 41-24201.



Failed to Return (FTR) Weiner Neustadt in B-24 42-72857 'Star Spangled Hell'; mauled by fighters, A/C exploded 10 miles north of target. 1-Oct-43 Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 51251



Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), PH.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 506th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20827330 / O-408633
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 506th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39094739
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Assistant Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 506th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16131104
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner; Assistant Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 506th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38157563
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Armorer; Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 506th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35255236
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Baldy and his Brood
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group Base Air Depot 1 506th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Star Spangled Hell
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 506th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Soluch Airfield

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Mink Creek, ID 7 October 1919 Son of Gustaf E and Elizabeth Marie [Peterson] Olson. Husband of Peggy P Olson.

Enlisted

Geiger Field, Spokane, WA 26 January 1942 Geiger Field, Spokane, Washington

Died

Wiener Neustadt Austria 1 October 1943 Failed to Return (FTR) Weiner Neustadt in B-24 42-72857 'Star Spangled Hell'; mauled by fighters, A/C exploded. KIA MACR 15251

Buried/ Commemorated

Florence American Cemetery and Memorial Tablets of the Missing Florence American Cemetery and Memorial Florence, Italy

Buried/ Commemorated

Arlington National Cemetery Memorialised Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, VA Section MF Site 41-8

Based

Shipdham Assigned to 506BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF.

Based

Benina 1 October 1943 Temporary Duty with 9th AF. Benina, Libya.
Moscow, ID Student of University of Idaho.

Revisions

Date
Changes
Date
Contributor44thTDO
Changes
Sources

Documents in possession of son Terry Olson

Date
Contributor44thTDO
Changes
Sources

Stan Olson's son Terry has custody of the awards.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Key Image ID.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

44th BG Roll of Honor and Casualties by Will Lundy p. 136-138, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey p. 299; 44th Bomb Group, The Flying Eightballs, pg 22 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Stanley Fielding Olson: Gallery (3 items)