John Eric Olson (November 27, 1917 – October 2, 2012) was a retired U.S. ArmyColonel, West Point graduate (class of 1939), and one of the last surviving officers (perhaps the last) of the Bataan Death March of World War II. He was also a military historian and author of three books, as well as numerous magazine articles dealing primarily with his experiences as a prisoner of war in the Philippines and in Japan from 1942 to 1945.
Early life
Olson was born at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on November 27, 1917, the only son of Hans Oscar and Clara (Nee Carr) Olson. He grew up primarily in Holly Springs, Mississippi. After graduating from high school, he attended Marion Military Academy (Alabama) for a year before earning a Congressional appointment to West Point. Upon graduation in 1939 he was deployed to Fort William McKinley in the Philippines as a Second Lieutenant.
World War II
As the Japanese invasion of the Philippines began in 1941, Olson was assigned to the 57th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts on the Bataan Peninsula. The U.S. forces in the Philippines were ordered to surrender to the Japanese in April, 1942. Olson was captured and joined more than 9600 U.S. soldiers and nearly 50,000 Filipinos who made up what came to be known as the Bataan Death March. He was first imprisoned at Camp O'Donnell prison where he was appointed Assistant to the Adjutant, keeping secret records for the prison. Before being transferred to Cabanatuan prison, in June, 1942, he managed to bury all his reports in the nearby jungle. In 1948 he returned, exhumed those records, and nearly four decades later used them to write his history of the camp.
John E (born 30 December 1958) is an Indian screenwriter and filmmaker. John E aka Sab John has penned scripts for some very critically acclaimed films in Malayalam and Tamil. Presently a resident of Chennai, India, John renders his guidance to aspiring script writers.
Career
John was born in Allepey, in the southern Indian state of Kerala to Simon Antony and Marykutty Antony. Though graduated in commerce, his accounting career did not last long. Very early in his career he discovered his interest in screenwriting and authored the script for the notable Malayalam film Chanakyan, a Kamal Haasan starrer.
During a professional screenwriting career spanning over 2 decades, John has written about 30 filmed screenplays. To name a few of his very successful films are: Gunaa, Vyooham, Gandhari, Soorya Manasam, Highway, Sillunu Oru Kaadhal, Mayilpeelikkavu, Priyam, Kuruthipunal and Chanakyan. Gunaa starring Kamal Haasan is about a mentally affected person's unadulterated love for a fictitious character named Abirami. The film was not only successful commercially, but also had an excellent blend of Kamal's acting, Ilayaraja's music and John's screenplay. It surely became a milestone project for everyone involved.
It looks just like an old man and his old wife Havin’ lunch in the food court at the mall He stumbles twice, she holds on tight And he’s embarrassed cuz he almost falls It looks just like the sad end of a long life But that ain’t it at all What it really is is a boy home from world war two One leg pinned up on his uniform Tryin’ not to cry as he spit shines one black shoe Scared she won’t love him anymore What it really is is the smile on her pretty young face As he crutches down the gang plank and that kiss That’s burned from that day to this That’s what it really is It looks just like a small town around twilight And a couple pushin’ a stroller up the street They stop a while and the neighbors smile At the baby’s pretty little hands and feet It looks just like just another brand new life But that picture ain’t complete Cuz what it really is is one expert after another Breakin’ their hearts month after month Tellin’ her that she will never be a mother And him that he will never hold a son And what it really is is a waiting room and tears of joy As he walks in with a little boy all his His finger wrapped in a tiny little fist That’s what it really is So much of what this life can be All depends on what you see It looks just like a long line of headlights Rolling slowly down a rainy country road A small casket white, a cold, windy graveside And a family with such a heavy load It looks just like the sad end of a short life But the truth be told What it really is is the first breath she’s ever taken That made her feel like she could fly The grey skies above and the chains finally breakin’ And tellin’ the pain goodbye What it really is is running to her Savior’s side In a body glorified in bliss As she slips her little hand into His
John Koltveit and Richard Olson, fixtures for decades at the PontiacHolidayTournament, have received Fan Appreciation Awards for their support ... The first time Richard Olson attended the Pontiac Holiday Tournament, he was a grade school kid.
These real estate transactions, recorded the week of Dec ...John C ... John Olson and Wendy Olson Padilla to Tazio and Katie Grivetti, $310,000 ... John A ... John Eisenmann to Anthony and SuzanneBrown, $175,000 ... Bye to Lawrence Walsh and John Buchan, $235,000 ... Mt.
John Stermer combined games of 223, 224 and 238 for a 685 total while John Olson capped a 628 set with a 237 game and MikeHughson Sr ...Bruce Stanton topped the StrikingSeniorsMixedLeague with a 611 series while John Olson was one stick back at 610.
Elmer Anderson's latest choice for a seat on the Water and LightBoard – Bob Olson – was turned down by the city council on a 5-2 vote, prolonging the battle of wills that began three years ago.
John's United Church of Christ auction video ... John's United Church of Christ building sold at auction ... Details are being worked out," ChurchBoardPresident Ed Olson said Monday. Olson said the latest bidder is a local person.
From the old guard, John Olson and Larry Enderle each tossed a 610 series ... 735, Ken Mattison 732-713; Doug Mosher 720-712; Rich Granger718, Al Farr 716-714-713; MikeGoltry709, John Olson 707.
The Pioneer News
09 Jan 2025
The Pioneer News
09 Jan 2025