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Lloyd J. Olfert

Mountain Lake High, Mountain Lake, Minnesota.

(RM3) Radio Man Petty Officer 3rd Class serving on USS Callaway (APA-35). For service in World War II, Callaway received six battle stars.

Preparations in New Guinea preceded in the Lingayen assault, in which Callaway distinguished herself as a member of the Blue Beach Attack Group. As the invasion force sailed north, desperate Japanese kamikaze attacks were launched in a determined effort to break up the landings, and on 8 January 1945, a kamikaze broke through heavy antiaircraft fire to crash on the starboard wing of Callaway's bridge. The resulting fires were contained, but 29 of Callaway's crew were killed and 22 wounded. Despite this loss, the attack transport resumed active duty the following day.

MLHS, The Lakers, 1939 Minnesota State Basketball Champions.

Narrative

Buried in Mountain Lake Cemetery, Mountain Lake, Minnesota.

Lloyd Olfert, the son of Jake and Nettie (Schmidt) Olfert was born on March 30, 1922, at Bethel Hospital in Mountain Lake, MN. As a 1940 graduate of the Mountain Lake High School Lloyd was active in sports, including being a member of the State Track team, a member of the 1939 State Champion Boys Basketball team and the 1940 State Runner-up Boys Basketball team. Following graduation he worked at a machine shop in Milwaukee, WI. When the war broke out he returned to Mountain Lake and enlisted in the U. S. Coast Guard. During his time in the Coast Guard, Lloyd served 27 months on the USS Callaway transporting troops into battle in the South Pacific. Following his honorable discharge Lloyd lived in Richfield, MN and worked as a mechanic for Republic Airlines.

Following his retirement Lloyd returned to Mountain Lake, where he lived until his death at the Good Samaritan Village on Monday afternoon, July 30, 2007, at the age of 85 years.

Lloyd was dedicated to sports and attended every event possible, an avid motorcyclist, loved bowling and pitching horseshoes, and he enjoyed woodcarving. He was a member of the Mountain Lake American Legion Post 389, and the First Presbyterian Church in Mountain Lake.

Lloyd is survived by his sister, Betty King of Mountain Lake, many cousins, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; and his brother-in-law, Harold King.