[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 9, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H5095-H5096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMANDER DELBERT AUSTIN OLSON POST OFFICE
Mr. GILL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 1830) to designate the facility of the United States
Postal Service located at 840 Front Street in Casselton, North Dakota,
as the ``Commander Delbert Austin Olson Post Office''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1830
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. COMMANDER DELBERT AUSTIN OLSON POST OFFICE.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 840
[[Page H5096]]
Front Street in Casselton, North Dakota, shall be known and
designated as the ``Commander Delbert Austin Olson Post
Office''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Commander Delbert Austin Olson Post
Office''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Randall) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. GILL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. GILL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a
post office in Casselton, North Dakota, for U.S. Navy Commander Delbert
Austin Olson.
Commander Olson entered the U.S. Navy from North Dakota and served in
World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
On January 11, 1968, he piloted a mission that took off from Thailand
and, while descending into the target area, the aircraft crashed,
killing Commander Olson.
Commander Olson's remains were not recovered until 2001, and he has
been memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial
Cemetery of the Pacific.
Commander Olson was married to his wife, Patricia, and had two
children, Dana and Eric.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1720
Ms. RANDALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1830, the bill brought
before the House by my fellow freshman and Congressional Women's
Softball teammate, Julie Fedorchak, to honor Commander Delbert Austin
Olson.
He is a hometown hero of Casselton, North Dakota, who served in World
War II, the Korean war, and the Vietnam war as a member of the United
States Navy. As part of Observation Squadron 67, while descending into
a target area in Laos during the Vietnam war, his aircraft crashed in a
remote mountainside on January 11, 1968, killing him and his crew.
His remains were not identified until 2002 after being recovered the
year before. He was finally laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery
in 2003 and received the Purple Heart and Navy Commendation Medal with
Valor.
The Senate unanimously passed a similar version of this bill during
the last Congress. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the life
of Commander Olson by naming a post office in Casselton, North Dakota,
after him.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GILL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman
from North Dakota (Mrs. Fedorchak).
Mrs. FEDORCHAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true North
Dakota hero from Casselton, North Dakota, Commander Delbert Austin
Olson.
Commander Olson, as my colleagues mentioned, answered the call of
duty not once, not twice, but across three major conflicts: World War
II, the Korean war, and the Vietnam war.
In Vietnam, he served with distinction, participating in some of the
most dangerous missions of the war. He flew low over Ho Chi Minh Trail
to gather intelligence that protected American servicemembers on the
ground.
On January 11, 1968, Commander Olson and his crew were killed in
action when their plane went down. His name is etched on the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial Wall, and today we gather to take another step to
make sure future generations know his story.
My legislation will rename the Casselton Post Office as the Commander
Delbert Austin Olson Post Office. This is a small way to show how much
we value his sacrifice and to make sure his story lives on in the town
he loved.
North Dakota does not forget its heroes. Commander Olson's life
reminds us of the quiet strength and devotion that defined the very
best of this country.
I am proud to bring this bill forward, and I urge my colleagues to
join me in honoring Commander Olson's remarkable service and sacrifice.
Ms. RANDALL. Mr. Speaker, I urge strong support for this bill, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GILL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to
support this bill naming a post office for Commander Olson, who made
the ultimate sacrifice in service to a grateful nation. I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1830.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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