Please Report Any Broken Links Or Trouble You Might Come Across To The Webmaster
Please Take A Moment To Let Us Know So That We Can Correct Any Problems And Make Your Visit As Enjoyable And As Informative As Possible.

Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

USS Earl K. Olsen (DE 765)

Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - Z - Y - D

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Second Row: European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal

Specifications:
Class: Cannon
Type: DET (diesel-electric tandem motor drive, long hull, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1240 tons (light), 1620 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 10" (extreme)
Draft: 10' 6" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 4 GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 21 kts
Range: 10,800 nm @ 12 knots
Armament: 3 x 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 twin 40mm Mk1 AA, 8 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 3 x 21" Mk15 TT (3x1), 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks
Complement: 15 / 201

Earl K. Olsen (DE 765) Building and Operational Data:

09 March 1943: Keel laid by the Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, Fla.

13 February 1944: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. H. E. Olsen, mother of Lieutenant Commander Olsen

10 April 1944: Commissioned at Lee Terminal Dock, Tampa, Fla., Lcdr W. F. DeLong, USNR, in command

17 June 1946: Decommissioned at Green Cove Springs, Fla. after 2 years and 2 months of service

13 December 1946: Assigned as NRT ship, towed to Tampa, Fla.

21 November 1950: Recommissioned at Tampa, Fla.

07 January 1951: Reassigned as NRT ship at Charleston, S.C.

18 July 1953: Reassigned as NRT ship at Philadelphia, Pa.

25 February 1958: Decommissioned at the U. S. Naval Base, Philadelphia after 11 years and 2 months of service; custody to CO, Philadelphia Group, U. S. Atlantic Reserve Fleet

01 August 1972: Struck from the NVR with a total of 13 years and 4 months of service

28 September 1973: Sold for scrapping to the Boston Metals Co. (DRMS Sale #16-4017)

1974 - 1975: Scrapped at the Boston Metals Curtis Bay Yard, Baltimore, Md.

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By And/Or Copyright
Earl K. Olsen 0676501 Earl K. Olsen	74k	Earl Kenneth Olsen, born 02 July 1903 in Brooklyn, N.Y., was a member of the Naval Academy Class of 1926. After varied duty afloat and ashore, he was ordered to *Pensacola* (CA24) on 09 February 1939. Lieutenant Commander Olsen was serving as engineering officer during the night battle of Tassafaronga, off Guadalcanal, 30 November - 01 December 1942. When a torpedo hit flooded the engine room, he coolly and efficiently directed evacuation of survivors. Attempting to carry another officer to safety, he himself succumbed to smoke and toxic gases. Lieutenant Commander Olsen was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. Citation: "The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Earl K. Olsen, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Engineering Officer aboard the Heavy Cruiser USS *Pensacola* (CA24), after the torpedoing of his ship in enemy-controlled waters during the Battle of Tassafaronga on the night of 30 November 1942. Lieutenant Commander Olsen coolly and efficiently directed the evacuation of the surviving personnel and attempted to carry the body of another officer to a place of safety, after enemy torpedo fire had flooded the engine room where Lieutenant Commander Olsen was stationed. As a result of his gallant spirit of self-sacrifice on behalf of the men on watch with him, he succumbed to smoke and toxic gasses. The conduct of Lieutenant Commander Olsen throughout this action reflects great credit upon himself, and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country". USS *Earl K. Olsen* (DE 765) (1944-1958) was the first ship to be named in his honor. (Photo from the U.S. Naval Academy Yearbook; The Lucky Bag, Class of 1926.)	Bill Gonyo Downey, Cal.
Earl K. Olsen 0676512	117k	This photo was sent to Charlene's Mother, along with the documents in the memorabilia section, prior to the ship's commissioning. Charlene's Dad, Theodore Fosselman F2c, from Clinton, Oh., reported aboard *Olsen* on commissioning day and served in her until he was transferred to the Receiving Station at Cavite on 04 December 1945, for further transport to the States and his discharge.	Charlene Fosselman Erie, Pa.
Earl K. Olsen 0676514	177k	Undated Postwar Image, *Earl K. Olsen* (DE 765) under tow to Tampa, Fla. for assignment as a Naval Reserve training ship.	John Chiquoine West Chester, Pa. and Dave Schroeder Milwaukee, Wis.
Earl K. Olsen 0676502	74k	Undated Postwar Image, recently out of mothballs	DESA Archives
Earl K. Olsen 0676503	44k	circa 1950, just out of mothballs (closer view of above photo)	Bob Hurst Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom
Earl K. Olsen 0676504	364k	Undated Postwar Image	David Wright Destroyer Archives Manager, Navsource
Earl K. Olsen 0676505	71k	September 1953: the North Atlantic - Taken from USS *Caloosahatchee* (AO 98), by RM1 John A. Zaruba, during Operation Mariner.	Jack Zaruba
Earl K. Olsen 0676506	74k	see previous photo	Jack Zaruba
Earl K. Olsen 0676507	95k	Shortly after being removed from mothballs.	Len Banning (1952 - 1954)
Earl K. Olsen 0676508	98k	1953: The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard - USS *William T. Powell* (DER 213) in background.
Earl K. Olsen 0676509	28k	1954, looking forward from the masthead
Earl K. Olsen 0676513	349k	mid-1950's: USS *Earl K. Olsen* (DE 765) underway at sea. (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 107520 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)	Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE/FF/LCS Archive Manager
Earl K. Olsen 0676501	60k	Circa 1960's: Philadelphia, Pa. - *Earl K. Olsen* laidup at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard outboard of *Oswald* (DE 767).	Gerhard Mueller-Debus Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Earl K. Olsen 0676510	140k	Early 1970's: Philadelphia, Pa. - mothballed at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. (Photo by Ed Zajkowski)	Ed Zajkowski Narvon, Pa.
*Kyne / E.K. Olsen* 0674414	318k	Winter 1972 - Spring 1973: Philadelphia, Pa. - Two decommissioned DE's at the Inactive Ship Basin of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility. Pierside is *Earl K. Olsen, Kyne* (DE 744) is outboard of her.	Jim Cunliffe Frederica, Del.
R.F. Keller 0641917	480k	October 1973: Philadelphia, Pa. - Looking across the reserve ship basin at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, we see the ex-*Robert F. Keller* (DE 419) in line with ex-*Chester T. O'Brien* (DE 421), ex-*Edward H. Allen* (DE 531), ex-*Rizzi* (DE 537), ex-*Kyne* (DE 744) and ex-*Earl K. Olsen* (DE 765). (Heilenday photo #II 0423A from the Heilenday Collection)	Mark Heilenday Virginia Beach, Va, Captain, USN (ret.) June 1974 - July 2004

Earl K. Olsen Memorabilia
Commissioning
Invitation
Earl K. Olsen
Courtesy of
Charlene Fosselman Commissioning
Booklet
Earl K. Olsen
Courtesy of
Charlene Fosselman

Earl K. Olsen History

View the USS Earl K. Olsen (DE 765) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.

View the official War History of USS Earl K. Olsen as submitted by the ship at war's end.

Earl K. Olsen's Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves

Dates of Command	Commanding Officers
1.) 10 Apr. 1944 - 06 Apr. 1945	Lcdr. Winfield Fox DeLong, USNR (Comm. CO)
2.) 06 Apr. 1945 - 17 Jun. 1946	Lt. / Lcdr. Robert Greene Nichols, USN (Decomm. CO)

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

None

Note About Contacts

Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists, rosters, or deck logs available. Please see the
Frequently Asked Questions section on NavSource's Main Page for that information.

Additional Resources

Tin Can Sailors
The U.S. Navy Memorial
The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
The Destroyer History Foundation

To The DE, FF, LCS Photo Index Page

Back To The Main Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail: Webmaster.