Commander OLAF J. GULLICKSON was one of the first Americans to score a hit on the enemy after the United States entered World War I. Commander Gullickson, then a Chief Boatswain’s Mate, received the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commander of the Armed Guard of the U.S.S. DORLINA and in an engagement with an enemy submarine. On June 4th, 1917, an enemy submarine fired a torpedo at the ship, but by quick maneuvering it struck a glancing blow and failed to explode. The ship was abandoned by part of the crew. The submarine was later sighted, the guns manned and shots fired, one of which apparently hit and damaged the submarine, which disappeared.

Commander Gullickson joined the Legion of Valor in 1961 and resided in Southern California.