Private First Class Richard Norman Olbert, A Marine's Story
Private First Class Richard Norman Olbert, A Marine's Story
Richard Norman Olbert was born on September 25, 1919, in Durango, Colorado.
In the weeks following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Olbert enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on January 8, 1942, joining thousands of Americans who answered the call to service at the outset of World War II. He was selected for assignment to Carlson’s Marine Raiders, an elite and newly formed unit tasked with conducting amphibious raids and special operations behind enemy lines in the Pacific Theater.
In August 1942, Private First Class Olbert deployed as part of the Makin Island Raid, one of the first American offensive actions against Japanese-held territory. The raid took place on August 17–18, 1942, and targeted Japanese installations on Makin Atoll.
Following the operation, Olbert and nine other Marines were unable to withdraw from the island. They were captured by Japanese forces and taken into custody. The Marines were interrogated and held for weeks before being executed on October 16, 1942.
Private First Class Richard Norman Olbert’s remains were never recovered. His name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial in Hawaii, where he is remembered among those who gave their lives in the early days of the Pacific war.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
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