Mission Accomplished

Cammie Olson’s dad was killed while fighting for our country in Vietnam 50 years ago. He would have been 74 on November tenth, the day before Veterans Day.  Charles A Ransom was killed while fighting in Afghanistan 4 years ago.  Charles would have been 35 the day before Veterans Day.  Both made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Neither Cammie’s father nor Charles knew each other.  But on this past Veterans Day, thanks to the two year efforts of Cammie Olson and her daughter Stephanie, the two veterans crossed paths.

John & Barbara Geoghegan with Cammie

Cammie was very young when her father was killed in action, but as she grew older she began to understand, first hand, how important memorials to veterans who died in the service of their country are to their families and loved ones. 

 Olson does not shy away from telling the story of her father.  If you have read the book or seen the movie, “We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young”, you know of Cammie’s father. John Lance Geoghegan.  Second Lieutenant John Lance Geoghegan, United States Army.  Geoghegan was killed in the midst of a brutal battle, carrying one of his wounded soldiers, Willie Godboldt, out of the field of fire.  Like John Geoghehan, you will find Willie Godboldt on “The Wall” in Washington, D.C.  Their names are side by side. 

Olson has dedicated a great deal of her life to making sure that her dad, called “Jack” by most, and the other men who died in the godforsaken Ia Drang Valley over four hellish days of battle, are never forgotten.  She takes advantage of each opportunity to “keep it going,” as she put it, especially this year, the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Ia Drang. 

The first major clash between U.S. troops and North Vietnamese forces, the fight at Ia Drang — “the battle that changed the war in Vietnam,” according to many military historians — erupted on Nov. 14, 1965, and went on, in two parts, until Nov. 18. More than 200 Americans were killed, and the North Vietnamese lost maybe four times that number, but the battle gave hope to the North Vietnamese they could win the war.

Cammie's daughter, Stephanie Olson began a project two years ago, as a junior at Midlothian High School in Virginia.  The project was to create a memorial to all Midlothian graduates who died at war.  When Stephanie told her mother about the project, Cammie offered her help.  Together, the Olson’s spent a great deal of time researching the names of soldiers listed on the Virginia War Memorial as hailing from Chesterfield and then more time comparing those names to a list of Midlothian High School graduates.

As they finished their research, they found only one name.  Charles A. Ransom.  Major Charles A Ransom, United States Air Force. Charles A. Ransom graduated from Midlothian High School in 1997.  Charles A. Ransom died in April of 2011 in Afghanistan. 


Ransom’s father, Willie Ransom, said that 9 Americans were killed that day.  Willie Ransom also said that he misses his son every day and that the memorial means the world to him. 

The memorial means a lot to Cammie and Stephanie Olson too. Some of the reasons are different. Some of the reasons are the same. They want everyone to know about Charles.  To know about the sacrifice that Charles A. Ransom made for his country.  They want everyone to know about every veteran who gave everything for their country.

The memorial dedication was held at 11 am on Veterans Day at Midlothian High School.  On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

At that moment the paths of a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, named Jack, and a Major in the U.S. Air Force, named Charles, a father named Willie, a daughter named Cammie and a granddaughter named Stephanie crossed.

Mission Accomplished.

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