his guncrew was cut down, 1 by 1, by accurate and overwhelming enemy fire. Weary from over 24 hours of continuous battle and suffering from an arm wound, received during the night engagement, Sgt. Olson manned his gun alone, meeting the full force of an all-out enemy assault by approximately 200 men supported by mortar and machinegun fire which the Germans launched at daybreak on the morning of 31 January. After 30 minutes of fighting, Sgt. Olson was mortally wounded, yet, knowing that only his weapons stood between his company and complete destruction, he refused evacuation. For an hour and a half after receiving his second and fatal wound he continued to fire his machinegun, killing at least 20 of the enemy, wounding many more, and forcing the assaulting German elements to withdraw. See also List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II References 1917 births 1944 deaths United States Army personnel killed in World War II United States Army Medal of Honor recipients United States Army soldiers People from Christiana, Dane County, Wisconsin Military personnel from Wisconsin American Lutherans American people of Swedish descent World War II recipients of the Medal of Honor 20th-century Lutherans