Veterans reunite after 50 years

By all accounts, Herb Rosencrans runs one of the last small-town gas stations in the Valley. At his Knik-Goose Bay Road Texaco station, his customers come not only for fuel, but also for the down-home atmosphere.

His gas station is more than just a place to get a full tank it serves as a meeting place, a place to grab a cup of coffee, a place for conversation. But in January, the gas station served as one of the most improbable locations for a 50-year reunion.

For 76-year-old Robert Olson and 76-year-old John Miller, the small gas station brought together two lives that had coincided in a previous time. Both men had frequented the Texaco station for several years, but had never bumped into one another.

In January, that changed. Olson was talking to Rosencrans inside the station when Miller came in to pay for his gas. Rarely do people get to just pay and leave at Rosencrans station, conversation is just as valuable as money. This is a good ol boy gas station. You know, where you come and meet, Rosencrans says.

So the three gentlemen started talking about World War II, and both Olson and Miller realized they knew a lot more about each other than they originally thought. It was the last thing I ever expected, Rosencrans explained.

After we started talking, I thought maybe I recognized him from back then. I asked him, Are you Oly Olson, from VSMB 132? and he said yes, Miller said. I stuck out my hand and said, Well, meet another dive bomber. I knew right away it was him.

The men had not seen each other for 50 years, but one common link swept away those five decades. They had both served in the U.S. Marine Corps and had been part of one of the most famous battles in American history, Guadalcanal. What made the reunion even more remarkable is the fact they both served in the same small squadron, and neither originally lived in Alaska.

Weve been going to lunch and getting to know each other again, Olson said. Its pretty amazing that we met each other after 50 years. I was surprised to see John. I went to a reunion our squadron had in New Orleans in 1996, but John didnt. It was mostly pilots, and we were gunners.

They both remember exact details about Guadalcanal, as only veterans who put their lives on the line would. Both served as radio/gunners for the VSMB 132 squadron, which dive-bombed Japanese troops at Guadalcanal, and other locations as well.

Their VSMB 132 Marine Corps squadron consisted of 18 airplanes, 20 pilots and 20 radio/gunners in the squadron, which served as a family for the troops.

There were only two squadrons of dive bombers in Guadalcanal. Along with Millers and Olsons squadron, VSMB 141 was also sent to Guadalcanal.

Both squadrons were instrumental in the battle, which turned out to be Americas first big victory in the Pacific. Guadalcanal was one of the first steps the American forces took toward pushing the Japanese back and eventually winning the war in the Pacific.

Miller and Olson flew in Dauntless planes, manufactured by Douglas, with a pilot gaining altitude and then diving at a fierce angle while gunners like Miller and Olson dropped 500- and 1,000-pound bombs on targets.

Their squadron was credited with more than 30,000 kills during the war, mostly in an area known as The Slot, a series of small islands between New Georgia and Santa Isabel, just northwest of the island of Guadalcanal, where Henderson Field served as the headquarters for the American troops.

Our squadron was involved in knocking out the Japanese down there, on Nov. 12-14, Miller said. We lost five to seven transports, but we won that first big battle.

As they age, their memories of the war remain clear. Exact dates and details of all their travels, not just Guadalcanal, stand out in their minds, 50 years after the fact.

Both vividly remember Olson flying with Major L.B. Robertshaw, as well as the names of several other pilots and radio/gunners in their squadron.

I can still remember that Bangkok and Shanghai smell like rotten fish at 10,000 feet, Miller said. And I remember flying over camp, and you could tell what kind of Spam they were making, just by the smell at 2,000 feet. They cooked Spam every way you could cook it, and then a few more ways. I asked Oly, Do you like Spam now? And he said, Noooooo way!

For Olson, certain planes and certain dates stand out in his mind.

I remember Airplane No. 44 because you had to keep on the wobble pump to get the gas going and keep it running to the engine, Olson said. You dont forget little things like that.

Both Miller and Olson went to radio/gunner school in San Diego during the autumn of 1942, prior to entering combat.

Miller was fresh out of high school in Wyoming, while Olson graduated from high school in Minnesota in 1941, a year earlier.

Both were 17, young and ready for the challenge of the Marine Corps.

I went in the Marines in 1941 and went through boot camp, infantry and a bunch of schools, Miller said. They wanted people who could shoot machine guns, so I volunteered. I was only 17 then. I didnt realize that you dont live long shooting machine guns.

After the battle of Guadalcanal, Miller and Olson saw each other again in Korea during the war a few years later. But from then until last January at the gas station, they lost contact with each other.

Miller made a few more tours of duty, fought in Korea and eventually retired after 18 years in the Marines and four more in the U.S. Air Force.

His nephew, Dixon Hall, lived in the Valley, and four years ago Miller made the move from Wyoming to Wasilla.

Up here, its a lot like Wyoming, Miller said. Thats why I came.

Olson also spent much of his career in the military. He fought in Korea and eventually retired from the Marines in 1961, after spending 20 years serving his country. In Korea, Miller and Olson met by chance because they were not stationed together.

I was with a transport group and he was with a communications group, Olson said.

After retiring from the military, Olson took a job with the Federal Aviation Administration, and that ultimately led him to Alaska.

Olson then took a job as an administrator at a hospital in Anchorage from 1970-1978.

Olson retired from that position, left the state for eight years, but ultimately returned to teach business at Mat-Su Community College 10 years ago. He has lived in Alaska ever since.

As they get to know each other again, they are also getting to remember their past lives through the efforts of another member of their squadron.

Years ago, Felix Cisco Cecot, started a sort-of scrapbook to keep up with all the members of the squadron.

He has kept up the scrapbook through the years, with updates being mailed to the living members of the squadron periodically.

Olson and Miller look through the pages some days, remembering what it was like 50 years ago when they fought for America as young men.

The faces have changed through the years, but the memories never fade.Photo 1: At left, John Miller, left, and Robert Olson reminisce while at the Alaska Transportation Museum earlier this winter. Both served as radio/gunners for the same Marine squadron in World War II, but had not seen each other for 50 years prior to January.

Photo 2: Robert Olson poses for a Marine photo just after the battle of Guadalcanal. Olson now lives in Wasilla.

Photo 1 by GENE JANSEN.Photo 2 by Robert Olson.