1LT Jerome Edwin Olmsted, Clintonville, WI on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

Jerome Edwin "Jerry" Olmsted was born in Clintonville, Wisconsin. He was raised with his four brothers and one sister. Bill a Mortician; John a Computer Tech, Barbara worked on Insurance Claims, and twin brothers Tom an anesthetist and Tim who works construction. After his 1961 graduation from Clintonville High School, he attended Alexian Brothers School of Nursing in Chicago, Illinois until 1964. On May 12, 1963, he was married to Elizabeth A. Hanson of Galesville, Wisconsin and they had one daughter, Sheri.

He then graduated from Saint Francis School of Anesthesia at LaCrosse Wisconsin in 1966. Jerome worked 6 months after he graduated from college as an Anesthetist RNA. He entered the United States Army Nurse Corps on 22 May 1966, completing his Medical Field Service School Officer Basic Course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

He began his tour of duty in Vietnam on May 30, 1967, serving as an Anesthesist at the 85th Evacuation Hospital.

According to his mother, "Jerome was excellent in his profession. He was very kind to his patients. Always having everything neat and tried to do everything good for his patients."

On November 30, 1967, a U.S. Air Force C-7B (#62-4175) from the 458th Tactical Airlift Squadron (TAS), 483rd Tactical Airlift Wing (TAW) at Cam Ranh Air Base, hit a mountain about 5 miles south of Qui Nhon after a bad weather missed approach. On the initial approach to Qui Nhon, the pilot was advised that the weather at the airfield had fallen below safety minimal. He replied that he would to proceed to Nha Trang where the weather conditions were better.

Enroute to Nha Trang the aircraft hit a mountain at 1,850 feet above sea level. The presence of low clouds and rain had reduced visibility to about two miles. It took search and rescue teams five days to locate the crash site in the dense jungle.

Twenty-six people were killed in the crash. Four crewmen, two Air Force passengers, 18 U.S. Army personnel, and two U.S. civilians. Five of the passengers were medical personnel. They had been temporarily assigned to a Pleiku hospital and were returning to Qui Nhon.

Wife Elizabeth, daughter Sheri, and parents look on as Bronze Star for Meritorious Achievement and Purple Heart presented posthumously.

Jerry was survived by his mother Ruby C (Behnke) (1924-2015), father Arlyn F "Lenny" Olmsted, brothers Bill, John, Thomas, and Timothy Olmsted, and sister Barbara Jane (Olmsted) Schampers (1948-2006).

Jerry is buried at Graceland Cemetery, far north center section, 4th row in from the service road, 6th column down from the north.