Rodney J. (Rod) Olsson

• MT-2 Nuclear Missile Technician
• Feb 13, 1978 – February 17, 1984
• Grenada
• Honorable Discharge, Good Conduct Medal, Sharpshooter Ribbon and Sea Ribbon, Submarine Enlisted Breast Insignia Silver Dolphins
• Enlisted Basic Submarine School, Missile Technician School, Polaris Missile “A” School  and Poseidon Missile  “C” School.

Rodney was born at Divine Infant Hospital in Wakefield, Michigan, on August 24, 1951, because it was the closest hospital to Winegar (Presque Isle), Wisconsin at the time. He was raised in a home on Cathaline Lake, four miles northwest of Wineger (Presque Isle), Wisconsin off of County Highway W. Rodney attended and graduated from Wineger Graded School in 1965. The school’s basketball team won the Vilas County Championship that year. Rodney was the Center on the team. Rodney then attended and graduated from Mercer High School, Mercer, Wisconsin in 1969. Rodney lettered in basketball 1, 2, 3, 4 and baseball 2, 3 and football 4. In 1967, he represented Mercer High School at Badger Boys State. He then attended Palm Beach Junior College in Florida. But following his father’s death (Axel R. Olsson) on October 3, 1969, he returned to Wisconsin in the spring of 1970 to help his mother (Mary Olsson) run Olsson’s Presque Isle Inn, a bar and restaurant, which the family had built and operated since 1958, after having sold their home on Cathaline Lake.

Rodney was an outdoorsman, a fishing guide, and an avid hunter, fisherman, scuba diver (Lakeland Divers), cross country skier, snowshoer, and snowmobiler.

Rodney attended Gogebic Community College, Ironwood, Michigan, graduated with an associate’s degree in business administration. In 1971, he attended and graduated in 1973 from Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin with a BA in Business Administration.
Rodney grew up working with his father, Axel, in his business, building roads, hauling sand and gravel, clearing building sites, excavation and landscape work. At the end of the day, he would clean up and assist his mother Mary in the restaurant kitchen.

Summertime was the busy time as there was not much winter business. Snowmobiling was not around at this time. The old saying in those days was the “only set of tire tracks on the road were those of the mailman.” Rodney continued to help his mother with the restaurant until 1972 when his brother Holger bought the business from their mother, and he continued to help Holger until the business was sold in 1975. Rodney worked that winter at Powderhorn Mountain Ski Hill after working construction through the fall. He also worked at Briggs and Stratton, Milwaukee until there was a layoff. He then came home and worked several construction jobs.

In February 1978, he enlisted in the US Navy, and volunteered for submarine duty. He was assigned to advanced electronics training and sent to Groton, CT for basic submarine school, following his completion of basic training at San Diego NTC. In April 1978, he completed submarine school and was sent to Dam Neck, VA in June 1978. He then completed Polaris Missile “A” school, followed by training in Poseidon Missile “C” school. In June 1979, he completed his nuclear weapons training, and was assigned to the Gold Crew on Lafayette SSBN 616. Rodney’s first patrol was spent training, drilling, and learning all the submarines systems, infrastructure and operations. On his second patrol he earned his “dolphins” making him a certified submarine sailor.

In 1981, Rodney completed his last patrol with the Lafayette before the submarine went into the shipyard at Newport News, VA. He was the RPPO (Repair Parts Petty Officer), ordering replacement parts for the missile division while the submarine readied for refueling of nuclear materials.

In 1983, he applied for and was accepted to attend Officer Candidate School. He went through the training, but with only a few months remaining on his enlistment, he was notified from OCS Administration, there was not a need for nuclear weapons officers, so he was reassigned to the Blue Crew of the Kamehameha (SSBN 642). There are two crews assigned to ballistic missile submarines – a blue crew and a gold crew, each of which do alternating patrols of three months at sea. The crew would fly back to Groton, CT from Holylock, Scotland (subs operated from there and were supplied by tenders). In Groton, sailors would attend training schools or take leave for home visits.

Rodney left the Kamehameha (SSBN 642) in Scotland in January 1984, and was honorably discharged February 1, 1984, due to needs of the US Navy. While on his last patrol, Rodney was certified as a “Blue Nose”, in a ceremony sailors must go through if their submarine crosses the Arctic Circle underwater or for ships crossing on the surface. Captains really enjoy putting crews through this sadistic ritual.

At home, Rodney worked swing shifts at the Rhinelander Paper Mill, then applied to the Michigan Department of Corrections and was offered a position at Marquette Branch Prison in October 1988. He reported to Lansing, Michigan for Corrections Officer Training at the Academy, completing his training in January 1988. He started his probationary year in February 1988, learning the profession as a jailer at Marquette, Michigan. In December of 1989, openings for Camp Ojibway, Marinesco, Michigan became available, and since he had completed his probationary period he was allowed to interview for the position at COJ. He was accepted as a corrections officer, and was happy to be only seven miles from work to home. In July 2000, Camp Ojibway closed, and became a minimum-security correctional facility. Rodney, having experience as a camp union steward was made Chapter President of the union by the head of the MCO Union President Kari Sowells in Lansing. Rodney said, “Let me tell you, this is a ‘thankless job’ on top of your normal duties.”

Rodney worked his last day on June 30, 2007, and he walked out of the gate without looking back. Rodney had enough vacation time and sick leave built up that he received his regular paychecks until he officially retired in March 2008.

Rodney and his brother Holger looked after and were caregivers for their mother, Mary, during Rodney’s last years of work. They took care of her following bypass surgery the day after her 102nd birthday, and she did well until Halloween night 2015. Flu shots were not yet available for that year; she caught the flu, and passed away on November 10, 2015.

The two brothers kept busy on their property, and Holger did well until 2023, when he had back problems and ailments from neuropathy and hearing. He suffered from Alzheimer’s dementia starting late in 2023. Rodney, then became Holger’s fulltime caregiver, being at his side when he passed away August 11, 2024. Rodney survives his two brothers Norton O. Olsson and Holger A. Olsson, his parents Axel R. Olsson and Mary Olsson who preceded him in death. Other surviving relatives include nieces and nephews Glenn, Randall, Penny, Pamela and sister-in-law Vyrl Olsson, plus cousins in both the US and Sweden.

Rodney is a 15-year member of Winegar Post 480 American Legion, Presque Isle. He served as Service Officer, and was a member of the Honor Guard as well as manager of the Rifles.

See also brothers Norton R. Olsson and Holger O. Olsson.