Seaman Sven Olsen Grave Memorial with the USLHS and Lightship Crew marker installed.
Seaman Sven Olsen served on three Lightships during his time in the U. S. Lighthouse Service. In April a Lighthouse Service Grave Marker was installed on his memorial marker in Holly Hill Memorial Gardens Baltimore. The rules for the veteran’s section there does not allow above ground installations of any additional markers, so a flat USLHS shield and Lightship Crew Insignia were attached to the flat veterans’ marker already in place for him.
Sven came to the United States in 1922 and joined the Lighthouse Service. He served 3 years on LV-69 while it was assigned to the Diamond Shoal Station then returned to his native Norway for two years. Then in 1927 he returned to the United States and re-joined the Lighthouse Service and was assigned to the LV-52 on the Fenwick Island Station off the Delaware coast. In 1930 the aging LV-52 was retired and replaced on the Fenwick Station by the newly constructed and state-of-the-art LS-116. The entire crew of the LV-52 was transferred to LS-116. In 1933 the lightship was withdrawn and LS-116 was assigned to the Chesapeake Station, with Seaman Olsen still on board. In 1939 the Lighthouse Service was absorbed into the Coast Guard. In late 1940, Sven Olsen decided to enlist in the Coast Guard as a Seaman and he transferred off LS-116 in January 1941. He stayed in the Coast Guard as a Boatswains Mate until retiring in 1957 as a Boatswains Mate First Class.
The Grave Marker for Sven Olsen was requested by his Grandson who resides in Pennsylvania with most of Svens descendants. Due to the distance, a ceremony may be held at some time in the future with his family. His Biography can be found here: https://cheslights.org/keeper-bio-sven-t-olsen/
To learn more about this program, how to apply to have a Lighthouse Keeper or Lightship Sailor descendant honored, volunteer to work on the Maryland or Virginia Grave Marker Teams, or just read about the 36 other Lighthouse Keepers/Lightship Sailors the chapter has previously honored, go to the Chapters web page: www.cheslights.org/programs /program-lighthouse-keeper-grave-marker.
Any questions, email our Lighthouse Keeper Grave Marker manager at: programs@cheslights.org
