Lieutenant Colonel Earl Alexander Olmsted C.D. (22 July 1914 – 10 November 2008) was a Canadian Army officer who held command positions (3rd Canadian Infantry Division Headquarters) and led artillery units (13th Field Regiment, RCA) during World War II, serving in the European theatres. After WWII he served as a Senior Operations Officer with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and was the National Secretary of the Canadian Army Benevolent Fund. His notable military career spanned 27 years and included postings on several continents. Early life Earl Alexander Olmsted was born in Ottawa at the start of WWI in 1914. He was the first member of his extended family to receive a university degree from St. Patrick's College in Ottawa. He had always wanted to attend Queen's University but was unable to do so because of financial constraints caused by the Great Depression. He met his wife Marjorie Kingsland (Salter) Olmsted at Parkdale United Church in Ottawa, Ontario – they would remain together for over 70 years. World War II Olmsted joined the Canadian Army in October 1939, shortly after Britain declared war on Germany. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant, First Field Brigade, Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA). He was assigned to the artillery because of his apparently strong mathematical skills; prior to the outbreak of war he had worked as an accounting clerk. After being shipped overseas, Olmsted served with an anti-aircraft unit, presumably defending Britain from aerial Luftwaffe attacks during the Blitz. Between February 1943 – May 1943 he attended the Royal Military College Canadian War Staff Course in Kingston, Ontario. Lt.-Col. A.J. Creighton indicated that "[Olmsted] is best suited for employment in close touch with fighting troops". Olmsted returned to England and was billeted in Aldershot in preparation for the invasion of France. Olmsted participated in Operation Overlord as a recently promoted G-III Staff Captain aboard the Canadian headquarters ship . He landed on Juno Beach just before noon on June 6, leading a party that included war correspondents and other senior Canadian military personnel. After rendezvousing with Canadian H.Q., Major-General R.F.L. Keller (Rod Keller) ordered Olmsted forward on motorcycle to connect with Brigadier Harry Wickwire Foster, who was commanding the 7th Canadian Brigade. Communications at the time were unreliable and there was concern that the unit was in danger of being cut off. Olmsted's personal D-Day accounts were later used in the book "The Longest Day"