January 14, 1919 (Greenwich, CT) – February 1, 1943; 24 years old; unmarried
Last local address: Chestnut Hill Road, Norwalk
Enlisted: August 26, 1941
Service number: 11033041
13TH ARMY AIR FORCE, 11TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY), 42ND BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal (twice), and Purple Heart Medal
On February 1, 1943 Sgt Olmstead was the assistant radio operator and left waist gunner on B-17E #41-9151, assigned to the 13th Army Air Force, 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bombardment Squadron. They were flying from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal as part of a nine-plane mission to bomb Japanese shipping. After successfully bombing a ship in Tonolei Harbor Bougainville they turned east towards Choiseul Island when they came under heavy attack from fifteen to twenty-five Zero fighter planes. Olmstead’s plane was shot down and the crew declared missing in action. On January 11, 1946 the Army officially declared them dead.
Pilot Major Earl O. Hall, Jr., O-325099, C. O. of the 42nd BS (MIA / KIA) Crawford, TX
Co-Pilot 1st Lt Joaquin Castro, O-428914 (MIA / KIA) Mission, TX
Navigator 2nd Lt Frank N. Stern, Jr., O-438256 (MIA / KIA) Chicago, IL
Engineer TSgt Paul Adler, 6147915 (MIA / KIA) Cambridge, MA
Bombardier SSgt James Y. Bales, 15058894 (MIA / KIA) Crawfordville, IN
Radio SSgt James C. Stephens, Jr., 6953552 (MIA / KIA) Pania, CO
Asst. Engineer SSgt Francis S. Banasiak, 11020224 (MIA / KIA) Holyoke, MA
Asst Radio Sgt Jesse N. Olmstead, 11033041 (MIA / KIA) Norwalk, CT
Gunner Sgt Martin T. Grady, 6980875 (MIA / KIA) New York, NY
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