Kenneth Lee Olson

Pulled a live grenade against himself to shield his comrades

Kenneth Lee Olson was born at Willmar, Minnesota, on 26 May 1945 and was associated with the nearby community of Paynesville. He joined the United States Army from Minneapolis in 1967. By the following spring he was serving as a specialist fourth class and team leader in Company A, 5th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Infantry Brigade.

On 13 May 1968 his company was sent to reinforce a reconnaissance platoon heavily engaged with entrenched Viet Cong troops. After the Americans overran an initial bunker line, Olson and another soldier moved ahead to investigate further positions. Automatic-weapons fire from only about ten metres away pinned them down.

Olson exposed himself to throw a grenade into the enemy position. When it failed to stop the fire, he prepared another grenade and moved to renew the attack. He was wounded before he could throw it, dropping the armed grenade beside his own position. Realising it would explode immediately, he threw himself onto it and pulled it against his body. He was killed, but his action shielded his comrades from the blast. The survivors renewed their attack and defeated the enemy force.

President Richard Nixon presented Olson’s posthumous Medal of Honor to his family at the White House on 7 April 1970. He was buried in Paynesville Cemetery. A memorial highway and local commemorations preserve his connection with the Minnesota community from which he entered military service.

Official citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp 4c. Olson distinguished himself at the cost of his life while serving as a team leader with Company A. Sp 4c. Olson was participating in a mission to reinforce a reconnaissance platoon which was heavily engaged with a well-entrenched Viet Cong force. When his platoon moved into the area of contact and had overrun the first line of enemy bunkers, Sp 4c. Olson and a fellow soldier moved forward of the platoon to investigate another suspected line of bunkers. As the two men advanced they were pinned down by intense automatic-weapons fire from an enemy position 10 meters to their front. With complete disregard for his safety, Sp 4c. Olson exposed himself and hurled a hand grenade into the Viet Cong position. Failing to silence the hostile fire, he again exposed himself to the intense fire in preparation to assault the enemy position. As he prepared to hurl the grenade, he was wounded, causing him to drop the activated device within his own position. Realizing that it would explode immediately, Sp 4c. Olson threw himself upon the grenade and pulled it in to his body to take the full force of the explosion. By this unselfish action Sp 4c. Olson sacrificed his own life to save the lives of his fellow comrades-in-arms. His extraordinary heroism inspired his fellow soldiers to renew their efforts and totally defeat the enemy force. Sp 4c. Olson's profound courage and intrepidity were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.