David J. Olson:
CLASS OF 1966
Lincoln High SchoolClass of 1966
Seattle, WA
University of Washington - Society & JusticeClass of 1977
Seattle, WA
David J.'s Story
Life
Born in Sitka, AK. 1/2 Tlingit Indian and 1/2 Norwegian. Orphanage in Tennessee-elementary years. Moved to Seattle for Hamilton Jr. High, and Lincoln High School-1966. University of Washington, 1977. Drafted in 1968, Infantry-Vietnam, 4th Infantry. Airline pilot since. Great memories!
School
My big memory of Hamilton Jr. High, and Lincoln High School in Seattle, was that I had to take 2 city buses from home near Eastlake Ave. near Lake Union to school and 2 buses back home. That is one reason why I had no girl friends then. My good buddy, Doug Nash, gave me rides occasionally if we weren't getting in wrecks!
My worst memory was my severe Southern accent from Tennessee. I tried hard to get rid of it!
College
My college career started with Shoreline Community College. After dropping out because of money issues and a car that wouldn't run all the time, the military snatched me right away. One quarter off from school and you were IN! Drafted in Feb. 1968, Vietnam infantry until Sept. 1970, then back home to transfer to the good ole University of Washington. 5 departments later a degree. Atmospheric Science, Communications, History, Political Science, then finally Society & Justice. Then off to work I went-fly...Expand for more
ing the then friendly skies.
Workplace
I delivered newspapers for the Seattle Times in my East Lake Union neighborhood during high school. Parked cars for a high rise condominium in the summer. Flipped burgers at MacDonald's. Lineman helper for Seattle City Light, drafted in the Army during the Vietnam war-Infantry! After I survived that, I became a pilot after pondering a career as a doctor and lawyer. My grades I guess had something to do with this. My intelligence didn't peak until later in life. I taught flying for about 5 years, the airline pilot for Braniff Internationl- based in Dallas, and Minneapolis. Then a pilot for Alaska Airlines since 1981 until now...
Military
Sucked into the DRAFT in Feb. 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War. 11B/Infantry; 4th Infantry Division-rover battalion, Pleiku, An Khe, etc. Squad leader in 3 months, Platoon sergeant in 5 months. Should have died a few times. When I came back home to SeaTac, I walked down the terminal clutching a war souvenir-a Chinese sniper rifle with scope. NOBODY spit in my face! War is a miserable life, but it developed character and discipline. Global peace is not free. Every generation has their war. My hat off to those who served in the military.
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