Who Is Frank Olson? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Frank Olson was born on July 17, 1910, and passed away on November 28, 1953. As of 2025, he would have celebrated his 115th birthday. Olson is best known for his work in bacteriology and his tragic death, which raised ethical questions about government experiments and personal rights. His legacy continues to be examined in the context of both scientific advancements and moral responsibilities within the intelligence community.
| Occupation | Biologist |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | July 17, 1910 |
| Age | 43 Years |
| Birth Place | Hurley, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 28 November, 1953 |
| Died Place | New York City, New York, U.S. |
Popularity
Frank Olson's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details about Frank Olson's height and weight are not widely documented, he was described as an average-built man during his lifetime, which stood reflective of the physique typical of men in his era. Current analyses focus more on his intellectual stature rather than physical measurements.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Frank Olson was married to Emily Poole Olson, with whom he shared a family life. Their marriage marked a significant part of his personal life, and they had children together. However, Olson's personal relationships were intensely scrutinized following his mysterious death, which led to speculations about his mental health and the influences surrounding him during his work with the CIA.
On Thursday evening, November 19, around 7:30, Olson and some of the other participants were drugged with a "potential truth serum", decades later discovered to be LSD. The next morning, Olson headed back to Maryland a changed man.
Having dinner with his family, Olson refused to eat, and seemed distant from his family, not speaking about his trip or attending to his children. He blurted out to his wife, "I've made a terrible mistake." MK-ULTRA had been underway for seven months at this time, and barely two dozen men knew the true nature and intentions of the project.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his death, Frank Olson's net worth was modest compared to today’s standards for scientists. Given the era, specific figures are hard to determine but estimates suggest he earned a standard salary for government employees of his rank in the early 1950s. His contributions were more valued in terms of their impact on public health and science rather than financial gain.
Olson graduated from Hurley High School in 1927. Olson enrolled at the University of Wisconsin, earning both a B.S. and, in 1938, a Ph.D. in bacteriology. He married his classmate, Alice, and would go on to have three children.
Olson enrolled in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps to help pay off his college costs, and was called to active duty at Fort Hood in Texas as the United States entered World War II. Olson worked for a short time at Purdue University's Agricultural Experimentation Station before being called to active duty.
Career, Business and Investments
Olson was a bacteriologist who worked with the U.S. Army’s biological warfare program and was a prominent figure at Camp Detrick (now Fort Detrick) in Maryland. His career was significant during the Cold War era, focusing on the potential of microbial agents for military use. Unfortunately, Olson's life and career were cut short due to his participation in unwittingly unethical experiments, including mind control drugs. This brought to light crucial conversations about ethics in science and government experiments.
By the time Olson stepped down as chief of SOD in early 1953, citing "pressures of the job" that aggravated his ulcers, he had officially joined the CIA after working closely with them for years. He did stay with SOD, which functioned as a CIA research station hidden within a military base.
Olson did a lot of work at Detrick that his children said had a lasting effect on his psyche. Olson witnessed and assisted in the poisoning, gassing, and torture of laboratory animals at Detrick, which his son Eric recalled having a deep effect on Olson: "He'd come to work in the morning and see piles of dead monkeys. That messes with you.
He wasn't the right guy for that." Olson also witnessed multiple torture sessions in international CIA safe-houses, where people were "literally interrogated to death in experimental methods combining drugs, hypnosis, and torture to attempt to master brainwashing techniques and memory erasing."
Social Network
In 2025, Olson's legacy continues to resonate on social media platforms where discussions around ethics in science and governmental transparency remain relevant. Movements such as these can be found on forums and social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit, which continue to address the historical implications of Olson's work and untimely death.
Olson served as a captain in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps. In December 1942, he got a call from Ira Baldwin, his thesis adviser at UW and the future mentor of Sidney Gottlieb, who would go on to be the CIA's leading chemist and director of MK-ULTRA.
Ira had been called to leave his University post to direct a secret program regarding the development of biological weapons, and wanted Olson to join him as one of the first scientists at what would become Fort Detrick. The army transferred him to Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland.
A few months later, the Chemical Corps took over Detrick and established its secret Biologicals Warfare Laboratories.
Education
Frank Olson received his education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he developed his foundational knowledge in microbiology. His academic background laid the groundwork for his pioneering work in bacteriology and biological research, ultimately shaping his career within the military and scientific communities.
