Olsborg, Gunnar, 1909-2000

Captain Gunnar Olsborg (1909-2000) was a Puget Sound Pilot and ocean master mariner. Born in Seattle, Washington, of Norwegian ancestry, Olsborg served in the Merchant Marine for twenty years. During World War II, he was a shipmaster on American Mail Line vessels in the South Pacific. After the war, Olsborg became a Puget Sound Pilot, retiring in 1982 but continuing to deliver ships to and from Alaska, Honolulu, and Seattle. He was a longtime member of organizations such as the Norwegian Commercial Club, the Council of American Master Mariners, and the Leif Erickson League of the Seattle Area. As secretary of the league, Olsborg played an important role in the installation of the Leif Erickson statue overlooking Seattle's Shilshole Bay. During World War II, Olsborg became sympathetic to the plight of Japanese-Americans, later becoming active in the Japanese-American Citizens' League and campaigning for the presidential pardon of Tokyo Rose Iva Toguri. He served as the president of the congregation of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Seattle, and he spoke frequently on topics such as Norwegian history and the sinking of the Titanic. Gunnar Olsborg died in Seattle in 2000.

From the description of Gunnar Olsborg papers, 1936-1997. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 28426071

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