Robin Olds

Military
Major General W E Lynd awards the Distinguished Service Medal to Major Robin Olds of the 479th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Medals + trophies- 2nd Lt Robin Olds. Presentation, Distinguished Service Medal to 2nd Lt Robin Olds for Maj Gen Robert Olds by Maj Gen WE Lynd. media-456681.jpg FRE 9809 Major General W E Lynd awards the Distinguished Service Medal to Major Robin Olds of the 479th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Medals + trophies- 2nd Lt Robin Olds. Presentation, Distinguished Service Medal to 2nd Lt Robin Olds for Maj Gen Robert Olds by Maj Gen WE Lynd. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 9809 - Major General W E Lynd awards the Distinguished Service Medal to Major Robin Olds of the 479th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Medals...

His father was a WWI fighter pilot and a key planner of early bombing tactics. He graduated in 1943 from West Point and immediately became a fighter pilot in WWII. He flew P-38 Lightnings and also P-51 Mustangs. He was a commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon, Thailand.



12.00 + 4 in Vietnam

Connections

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 479th Fighter Group 434th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-832683
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 479th Fighter Group 434th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 06939778
  • Role/Job: Crew Chief-750

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Nicknames: Peoria Pulverizer Texas Longhorn Scat III
  • Unit: 479th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Group 38th Fighter Squadron 434th Fighter Squadron
Major Robin Olds of the 479th Fighter Group stands with his P-51 Mustang (L2-W, serial number 43-28707) nicknamed "Scat II". The image has been autographed by Robin Olds on the front. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Photo 1- Olds Bio.'
  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Nicknames: Scat II
  • Unit: 479th Fighter Group 434th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Scat #5
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 479th Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron 434th Fighter Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Honolulu, HI, USA 14 June 1922 Source is official Air Force biography: http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/Biographies/Display/tabid/225/Article/106027/brigadier-general-robin-olds.aspx

Died

Steamboat Springs, CO 80487, USA 14 June 2007

Buried

US Airforce Academy Cemetery 30 June 2007 Ashes interred at the U.S.A.F. Academy Cemetery.

Revisions

Date
Contributorsmcchrystal
Changes
Sources

From 434th Fighter Squadron photo of 1944. Personal collection of Stephen G. McChrystal. ID from EOW 479th FS album.

Date
Contributorbaruchgershom
Changes
Date
Contributorbaruchgershom
Changes
Sources

Source: http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=206 Note that BGen Olds earned the Air Force Cross, not the Distinguished Service Cross, and one of his two Distinguished Service Medals was from the U.S.A.F. and the other from the Army. Interestingly, he did not wear the Army DSM on his Air Force uniform. I wonder why. Other sources include http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/Biographies/Display/tabid/225/Article/106027/… According to the Air Force web site, BGen Olds had eared the Air Medal with 39 oak leaf clusters.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Transferred information from duplicate record. Containing detials from Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Fighter Aces of the U. S. A. and Mustang Aces of the Eighth Air Force

Robin Olds: Gallery (6 items)