Telling Her Father's Story Has Become Christina Olds' Top
Mission
Christina Olds, the daughter of the late triple ace and Air
Force Cross recipient Brig. Gen. Robin Olds, recently visited the
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force to see her father's F-4C
Phantom, which is on display in the museum's Modern Flight Gallery,
before attending a book signing appearance in Dayton.
U.S. Air Force Photo
"I love this place," said Christina. "The first time that I saw
my father's F-4 was in 2001 before he was inducted into the
National Aviation Hall of Fame, and that was very emotional and
impressive, but what has happened to me since then makes it much
more meaningful."
And much has happened since 2001. During World War II, her
father, Robin Olds, quickly became a double ace credited with 12
aerial victories and a squadron commander at the age of 22.
During the Southeast Asia War, he commanded the famous 8th Tactical
Fighter Wing and became the first Air Force pilot to score four
combat victories with F-4s in Southeast Asia. In 2007, Gen. Olds
passed away before he was able to write his memoirs.
"When I was living with him in his last six months, he talked
about how sad he was that he hadn't finished his memoirs and I
said, 'Don't worry, daddy, I'll finish them for you,'" said
Christina. "And he said, 'Alright young lady, then that's an
order!'"
Christina always had an inkling that she would end up writing
her father's story. What he did write was in bits and pieces and
not in chronological order. Then, in 1995, he stopped writing
altogether because he just did not want to sit in front of a
computer. "He wanted to be out living life and traveling around -
visiting pilots, going to reunions and giving speeches - which he
did all over the world," said Christina.
Last April, her hard work paid off and a book titled "Fighter
Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds" by Christina Olds
and Ed Rasimus was released by St. Martin's Press. The book is now
in its fourth printing. (No Federal endorsement is intended.)
According to Christina, writing the book has helped to increase
her understanding of who her father was and the significance of his
many accomplishments. "(My appreciation) is completely deeper now,"
said Christina. "I was proud of him before but now knowing what he
did and how it affected all of the pilots he flew with, what he
meant to people and understanding what he did in Vietnam is just so
overwhelming for me."
Looking to better tell the story of all those who fought in
Vietnam, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force plans to
renovate the Southeast Asia Gallery, which will include a new Robin
Olds exhibit in the spring of 2011, said museum research historian
Jeff Duford. Items on display will include a flying helmet, flying
suit, parachute harness, and aircrew survival knife used by
Olds.
His personal story, including Olds' considerable leadership role
commanding the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing; his part in forming a
prominent veterans group known as the River Rats; and one of his
greatest achievements, "Operation Bolo," will be featured in the
new Southeast Asia Gallery. Operation Bolo was a wildly successful
operation that used deception to lure the enemy into a trap that
saw half of their MiG-21 force shot down with no Air Force losses.
"Operation Bolo was so clever that it has become an essential
strategy and tactics lesson that is required study for military
personnel to this day," said Duford.
But for now, Christina is taking one more look at the aircraft
her father flew, and the memories start to sharpen back into
focus.
"I can still visualize him standing in front of the F-4 like he
did when we were here before," said Christina. "He's not with us
now, but he's still here and that to me is just phenomenal."