Page 368 - 88-BOOK2

LOT 1424
Grouping of Identified World War II American Volunteer Group “Flying Tigers” Personal Effects - This is
a fantastic Flying
Tigers archive
consisting of
several personal
items, mostly
belonging to
Henry L. Olson.
Olson was a crew
chief in the 3rd
Squadron Hell’s
Angels, where he
was reportedly
trained to fly the
P-40 in order to act as a ferry pilot. His small size earned him
the nickname “Little Olson” which helped to distinguish him from the squadron leader Arvid Olson. Returning to the U.S.,
he was involved in an odd scenario where he was tapped to
run as a Democratic candidate for Congress in his home state
of Minnesota, where the PR flaks made a lot of hay of his Flying Tiger service but also made him sound like one of the combat pilots. Life magazine spotlighted his campaign to capture the nomination by publishing a photo of Olson touring the state
by plane in the August 24, 1942, issue (see item no. 4 for the photo): “Henry L. Olson, 25, was a member of the A.V.G.’s Third Pursuit Squadron..., was shot down twice and wounded in air battles over Burma and China. He carried a piece of Jap shrapnel in his knee until he got back to a Miami hospital on July 15... Leading Democrats persuaded him to run for Congress in the Ninth District, now represented by a Farmer-Labor Isolationist.’” His run for Congress didn’t pan out, and
instead he signed up with the USAAF as a flight cadet. Redubbed “Little” because he was yet again in a group with a larger guy named Olson, he joined the 396th Fighter Squadron piloting a P-47. Online records credited him with one kill and one assist in air combat, both in the summer of 1944 against FW-190s, as well as a Distinguished Service Cross issued for “unquestionable valor in aerial combat” in October of 1944.
1) Large silk banner embroidered with Flying
Tigers insignia and the name Cliff Groh who
was an AVG flight leader (shows some staining
heavier at the bottom). An accompanying photograph (copy) shows Groh holding this banner. 2) Large silk banner embroidered with the Flying Tigers insignia and the name H.L. Olson who was an AVG crew chief and is signed by known AVG members, include: Tom Haywood (flight leader), Eric Shilling (flight leader), J.A. Poshefko (chief armorer), Paul J. Greene (flight leader), E.L. Stiles (crew chief ), S.J. Stevens, and “Curly” McCarthy. Banner appears to have been trimmed on the left side. 3) Silk banner embroidered with Flying Tigers insignia and the name H.L. Olson (showing some staining and some running of the blue dye). In a 20 1/8 x 20 1/8 inch frame. 4) Framed photograph of H.L. Olson stepping out of a single engine aircraft. Photography is signed, “To Dr. Bob Hunter 3/20/97 Henry ‘Little Ole’ Olson 1st American Volunteer Group, ‘Flying Tigers’ China-Burma 1941-42 3rd Squadron- Crew Chief for Paul Green #84. Photo taken in MPLS. MINN in late summer of 1942. The little Stinson was rented to fly to International Falls on a fishing trip.” This is the same photo Life magazine published in 1942. 5) Framed Chinese Order of the National Army, Navy and Air Force Medal awarded to H. L. Olson in 1942 along with presentation paper. 6) Framed H.L. Olson’s wartime Christmas card sent to his parents. This is a double sided frame which allows the all four sides of the card to be visible. 7) Framed H.L. Olson’s Royal Air Force pass to Mingaladon Air Base in 1941. 8) Framed portion of Paul Greene’s parachute brought back by Olson along with a signed Greene statement noting when the parachute was used in combat. Greene was shot down on December 23, 1942. Greene achieved two aerial victories while with the AVG and one aerial victory as a member of the USAAF.
CONDITION: Items are, unless noted above, very good to fine. These items belonging to identified members of the legendary Flying Tigers display nicely and are a testament to the American spirit at the beginning of World War II.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.
Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
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