Tales of Honor Podcast

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Anton Olsen

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Anton was born on the 10th of July 1873, in what is now Oslo, Norway, and I now know that when searching immigration records for passengers from Norway, expect the name Anton to be very common. This makes it complicated to figure out when he came to the States, but my estimate is that he arrived, via Ellis Island, on the State of Nevada in 1883, with his mother and four siblings (being the only son). I am not sure when he enlisted in the US Navy, but he did so from Massachusetts and deployed as a Seaman to Cuba in support of the Spanish American War. His actions there would earn him the Medal of Honor and the citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Marblehead during the operation of cutting the cable leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba, 11 May 1898. Facing the heavy fire of the enemy, Olsen displayed extraordinary bravery and coolness throughout this period.

Anton received the Medal of Honor on the 2nd of November 1899, and I could not find any other records about his service or life. Anton Olsen died on the 23rd of June 1924, at the age of 50 in Brooklyn, New York. He is buried in the Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn: Section 2, Grave 9158.