BELOIT, Wis. — A 98-year-old World War II veteran from Beloit has shown that his service to the nation didn’t end with the war.

George Olson, a survivor of the USS Twiggs attack in 1945, recently donated $5,000 to support the crew of the USS Beloit, continuing his legacy of patriotism and resilience.  

 What You Need To Know

  • George Olson, a World War II veteran and survivor of the USS Twiggs attack in 1945, donated $5,000 to support the crew of the USS Beloit
  • Olson’s donation will help cover emergencies, medical needs and family support for the USS Beloit’s sailors. "We have their backs here in the service," Olson said
  • Olson worked at Fairbanks Morse Defense, the company that built the engines powering the USS Beloit and much of the U.S. Naval fleet 

“Freedom isn’t free. You have to keep fighting for it every day and observe,” Olson said, reflecting on his decades-long commitment to the country.  

Olson was just 18 years old when he served aboard the USS Twiggs near Okinawa during World War II. In June 1945, the ship was attacked by Japanese kamikaze pilots and struck by a torpedo.  

“The Japanese started their kamikaze program, and they taught these young pilots how to take a plane and fly it, but they didn’t know how to land,” Olson said, describing the chaos that followed.  

The attack caused multiple explosions on the ship, killing nearly half the crew and leaving Olson and others trapped below deck.  

“The ammunition fuel caught on fire, and the whole ship was burning. The ammunition was blowing up continuously. So, the other ships couldn’t get near us,” Olson recounted.  

Hope came in the form of an escape hatch, but the intense pressure from the sinking ship propelled Olson into the water.  

“The ship was sinking so fast, the air was rushing out so fast that it just blew me out of the hole like a cork in the water,” he said.

Olson clung to debris in the oil-slicked waters until he was rescued.  

After the war, Olson worked at Fairbanks Morse Defense, a company that built engines for the U.S. Navy. These engines continue to power many of the Navy’s ships, including the USS Beloit.  

“I believe in Fairbanks engines and helping the service people with a good product,” Olson said.  

Fairbanks Morse Defense Vice President of Business Development Pat Bussie, who has known Olson for years, praised his dedication.  

“George, you are incredibly lucky. My hats off to you,” Bussie said.  

The USS Beloit’s engine model was also shock tested, ensuring its engines could withstand combat conditions. Bussie explained the importance of maintaining the engines’ reliability at all costs. 

“If the enemy’s putting bombs in the water, depth charges, and going off, the engine has to keep running. If the engine stops, the ship is a sitting duck,” he said.  

Olson’s $5,000 contribution will support the USS Beloit’s crew with family emergencies, medical needs and other expenses not covered by government funding.  

“We have their backs here in the service,” Olson said.

Bussie highlighted the significance of donations like Olson’s.  

“The commissioning and fundraising for the crew isn’t paid for by the government. That’s all by contributions,” Bussie said.  

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