U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven, along with U.S. Representative Julie Fedorchak, have introduced legislation to rename the Casselton post office in honor of Commander Delbert Austin Olson. The proposed name change aims to recognize Olson’s service and sacrifice during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Commander Olson was a member of Observation Squadron 67 during the Vietnam War. He participated in missions along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, placing sensors to monitor enemy movements. On January 11, 1968, Olson and his crew were killed when their plane went down. He was later interred at Arlington National Cemetery in 2003.
Olson received several awards for his military service, including the Navy Commendation Medal with valor and the Purple Heart. His name is also inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.
The legislation seeks to designate the post office located at 840 Front Street as the Commander Delbert Austin Olson Post Office. “I’m honored to join the effort to rename the post office in Casselton after Commander Delbert Austin Olson,” stated one of the sponsors of the bill.
“Commander Olson honorably served our nation,” another sponsor noted. “Given his lifetime of service, it is fitting that we name the post office in Casselton, North Dakota in his honor.”
“Commander Delbert Olson was a true North Dakota hero,” said another supporter of the bill. “Renaming the Casselton Post Office in his honor is a small way to show how much we value his sacrifice.”
This legislative effort follows a previous attempt where a similar bill passed unanimously in the Senate.
