Group Captain Ian Russell Olorenshaw

Service number 416062, O4410
Ranks Held Acting Flight Lieutenant, Flight Lieutenant, Wing Commander
Birth Date 09/11/1920
Birth Place Australia: South Australia, Renmark
Death Date 14/06/1997
Death Place Australia: South Australia, Renmark
Final Rank Group Captain
Service Royal Australian Air Force
Units
  • No. 4 Squadron
  • No. 77 Squadron
  • Royal Australian Air Force
Place Renmark
Conflicts/Operations
  • Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Korean War, 1950-1953
  • Indonesian Confrontation, 1962-1966
  • Period 1960-1979

Collection items

    Media


    Portrait of O4410 Flight Lieutenant Ian Russell Olorenshaw, of 77 Squadron RAAF, after returning ...

    Object


    Royal Malaysian Air Force songkok (cap) : Wing Commander I R Olorenshaw, RAAF

    Cardboard hat box for Royal Malaysian Air Force songkok : Wing Commander I R Olorenshaw, RAAF

Rolls

Timeline

Date of birth 09/11/1920
Other 1938 Foundation member of the Renmark Gliding Club.
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs) 1938 Joined the local militia.
Date of discharge 1939 Discharged as medically unfit for the army.
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs) 1941 Joined the RAAF and gained his pilot's wings.
Other units 1941 - 1945 Served with No's 5, 4 and 77 Squadrons and 83 Wing. Completed his first tour of duty with 95 sorties in 1944.
Date of honour or award 1944 Mention in Despatches.
Other units 1945 - 1947 Volunteered for service in Japan with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.
Date of honour or award 1945 Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for sustained operations in support of Australian Army units.
Date returned to Australia 1949 Returned to Australia and given command on No 75 Squadron, the first to be equipped with jet fighters.
Other units 1949 - 1950 Officer commanding No 75 Squadron in Korea.
Date of honour or award 1950 Awarded the bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Date of honour or award 1950 Awarded the American Distinguished Flying Cross.
Other units 1950 - 1951 Officer commanding No 77 Squadron in Korea.
Date of honour or award 1950 Awarded the United States Air Medal.
Other 06/1950 Transferred to Japan at the outbreak of the Korean War.
Other 1951 Relieved from operational duties.
Other units 1953 Posted to RAAF Headquarters as a squadron leader and took up appointment as Director of Flying Safety.
Date promoted 1957 Promoted to wing commander and given command of No 86 Transport Wing, which was equipped with Douglas C-47s.
Other units 1958 Commanding Officer of No 36 Squadron, where he led the first flight of Australia's Lockheed C130 Hurcules from San Francisco to Sydney.
Date of honour or award 1961 Awarded the Order of the British Empire for his services to transport operations.
Other units 1963 - 1966 Seconded to the Royal Malaysian Air Force as an Air Staff Officer during the confrontation with Indonesia and was decorated by the Malaysian governemt.
Other 1970 Retired with the rank of group captain after holding various appointments with the Department of the Air.
Date of death 14/06/1997

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