Studiegroep Luchtoorlog 1939-1945

Evaders


Evader chart: E0391
SGLO Date crash Aircraft
T3519 08-03-44 B-24 Liberator
MilRank First Name(s) Name
2/Lt. Marlowe Bayne Olson
Milregnr. Nationality Born
O-687897 American Gross, Nebraska, USA, 14 Apr 1920
Returned Y/N Evader Fate Date Captured/Liberated Place Captured/Liberated Escape Line
No EVD-POW 3 Aug 44 Antwerp, Belgium -
Evader Story
						2/Lt. Marlowe Bayne Olson was the navigator of B-24 Liberator 42-52175 'Portland Anne'. During a bombing mission to Berlin, the bomber returned homeward over Northern Germany with an engine feathered and another smoking. Eventually the B-24 didn’t make it home. The crew bailed out while the empty Liberator came down relatively undamaged near Den Oosterhuis. Olson landed at an unknown place, probably near Dalfsen. Together with other crewmembers: S/Sgt. Michael Kopcza (E0389), the tail gunner, S/Sgt. Paul H. Moseley (E0390), the right waist gunner, 2/Lt. William H. Hammond (E0386), the co-pilot and a 'Cleo Clinton White' and Max Palenica, he was picked up by Harm Houwing and taken to his cottage 'de Wildzang', south of Dalfsen. They stayed here for about seven days. According to another source Olson, Kopcza, Moseley and Hammond came in the hands of F.P. van der Woud at Vollenhove (hospital) who handed the four over to family Jan Jacob Jelte van Kluyve (Kerkstraat 139 at Vollenhove). After three days they were handed over to Jelle Zijlstra (Merelstraat 9, Drachten). He belonged to the resistance group of Roelof Cornelis Vermeulen (Torenstraat 51 at Leeuwarden). Olson came - probably via Zijlstra - in the hands of Trijntje Salverda-Lindeboom at Folgerenlaan HT 156 at Rottevalle who escorted him to reverend Lambertus Abraham de Groot and his family at the presbytery of the Dutch Reformed Church in Surhuisterveen. According to the Helper File of De Groot he was brought here on 7 March, which of course is not possible. Olson would remain here for a long time: until 31 July 1944. On this he was picked up by Trijntje Salverda-Lindeboom again. He was now probably escorted to the south of The Netherlands. He travelled probably on 1 August, and it's well possible that he temed up again with Hammond and Kopcza in Leeuwarden (but there's no proof for this yet). From there, escorted by a female courier, possibly Tiny Mulder, via Zwolle and Eindhoven it went to Den Bosch where they changed to a local train. In the evening hours they arrived in Kaatsheuvel. It's not clear where Kopcza hid after arriving in this area. Hammond and Olson found a hiding place in the house of Pieter Arie de Groot at D 99 in Sprang-Capelle for 'about four days', a member of Groep André. From here it went with members of Groep André across the border and then on to Antwerp. Here Hammond, Olson and Kopcza were arrested on 3 August 1944.

After his time as PoW in Stalag Luft III and Stalag VIIA at Moosburg, Olson returned to the USA. Here he demobilized and then earned his bachelor and law degrees. After a long career as a tax accountant he retired. Olson passed away on 19 July 2008 in Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, at the age of 88.
						
Source(s)
* National Archives, Washington, Helper Files, NAID: 286646298 - NAID: 286669113 - NAID: 286707781 - NAID: 286649587 - NAID: 286685332 - NAID: 286714648 - NAID: 286712178 - NAID: 286676017 - NAID: 286642944
* http://www.teunispats.nl/jack-edward-gibbs-3.htm