In 1994, he was appointed Distinguished Professor of History at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.
[1] Olson is the author (or co-author) of over thirty books, primarily non-fiction, and usually in the field of History.
Olson wrote the book while suffering a malignant growth which resulted in the amputation of his hand.
In November 2008, Olson was honored by his alma mater, Brigham Young University, with its Distinguished Alumni Service Award.
[1] Harold Lee Wise;– Author of Inside the Danger Zone:The U.S. Military in the Persian Gulf, 1987–1988 (Naval Institute Press, 2007)