Oldest Eagle Scout

Olsen stands next to a century-old bronze eagle sculpture at his home in Port Angeles.

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PORT ANGELES, Washington (AP) -- Seventy years ago, Erling "Bub" Olsen baked bread and served the hungry on Depression-era bread lines as the final project in his bid to become an Eagle Scout.

But he drifted away from scouting after the death of a friend.

It wasn't until Saturday -- at the age of 84 -- that he went before a board of review to seek the Boy Scouts of America's highest rank. The national organization will make the final call in February.

Olsen bought a new Boy Scout shirt for his Saturday appearance, attended by friends and family.

"He's probably the oldest to ever receive an Eagle Scout," said family friend Danetta Rutten.

Olsen had forgotten about scouting until last year, when his pacemaker quit and his family wondered how long he had to live.

"We said, 'Bub, is there anything in life you want that you didn't get?"' Rutten recalled. "And he said, quote, 'Yeah, my Eagle Scout. I earned it, and I never got it."'

One of the requirements is to complete the process "before your 18th birthday," said Mark Hunter, director of marketing for the scouts' Chief Seattle Council. "So to award it at this point, there's exceptional circumstances that go with it."

Many merit badges now incorporate technology that did not exist in the '30s. Olsen's eligibility is based on 1933 requirements, Hunter said.

Just 4 percent of Boy Scouts achieve the rank of Eagle, Hunter said.

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