Lt. Col Austin A. Straubel
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG) Commanding Officer
B-18 Bolo 36-338 pilot crash landed February 3, 1942 on Java

Background
Austin A. Straubel was born September 4, 1904 to parents Carl A. Straubel and Alice C Van Dycke Straubel in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He attended Green Bay East High School class of 1923 and was a member of the school's football team as tackle. Next he attended University of Wisconsin at Madison class of 1927 and was a member of the varsity football team and Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. After graduation, he began working at his father's business, Midwest Cold Storage in Green Bay. During 1936 married Isabel Lawson Walthall and the couple moved to Los Angeles and had two daughters Susan and Victoria "Tori".

During 1928, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a flying cadet and attended primary flying school at March Field then advance flying school at Kelly Field. On September 4, 1929 commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-17869 in the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC). Assigned to the 27th Pursuit Squadron (27th PS) at Selfridge Field. On November 16, 1926 took off piloting a P-6 29-261 when the engine caught fire and the fire extinguisher had no effect. He then turned the burning plane towards Lake St. Clair and bailed out and the plane went into a nose dive and crashed. After landing safely, he became a member of the "Caterpillar Club".

In 1932 Straubel was sent overseas to the Philippines and stationed at Clark Field and Nichols Field. Next, assigned to the Philippine Department, Headquarters as the aide-de-camp for Major General Frank Parker and served as his pilot including aerial surveys of Mindanao operating from Del Monte Airfield and discovered Parker Volcano and Lake Maughan.

During 1935, promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant. During May 1939, assigned to the 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG), 11th Bombardment Squadron (11th BS) at Hamilton Field and learned to fly the B-18 Bolo and B-17 Flying Fortress. During September 1940 moved to Fort Douglas. On March 15, 1941 promoted to the rank of Major. On June 20, 1941 became part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). By December 1941, he was the Commanding Officer (C.O.) of the 11th Bombardment Squadron (11th BS).

Wartime History
After the United States entered World War II, Straubel was assigned to lead fifteen LB-30 bombers dubbed the "Straubel Echelon" that were flown from Tucson to Wright Field for modifications then to MacDill Field then fly via the "Africa Route" bound for the Netherlands East Indies (NEI).

On December 28, 1941 at midnight took off piloted LB-30 AL609 leading a flight of three LB-30s that took off from MacDill Field flying via Trinidad, Brazil, Accra, Khartoum, Aden, Karachi, Bangalore and before arriving in Bandoeng Airfield (Bandung) on Java. On January 11, 1942 arrived at Singosari Airfield (Malang) on Java. During January 1942 promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

On January 16, 1942 Straubel led a flight of five bombers including three LB-30s and two B-17s that took off from Singosari Airfield (Malang). and landed at Kendari Airfield to refuel then took off again on a bombing mission against Celebes (Sulawesi) with the LB-30s bombing Langoan Airfield and the B-17s bombing Manado Harbor. Over the target, the bombers were intercepted by Zeros and returning LB-30 AL576 crash landed at Makassar Airfield and the other LB-30 crash landed on a small island offshore. The two B-17s returned to Kendari Airfield and one written off from battle damage and later abandoned. Only one B-17 managed to return to Singosari Airfield (Malang). For his role on this mission, Straubel earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).

On January 29, 1942 Straubel became the Commanding Officer (C.O.) of the 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG) after Major Stanley K. Robinson was lost aboard B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2476. Straubel would only serve as C.O. for less than a week before he died.

On January 30, 1942 he departs Yogyakarta Airfield (Jogjakarta) as a passenger on a flight to Singosari Airfield (Malang).

On February 1, 1942 Straubel took off piloting a B-17E Flying Fortress as one of six on a bombing mission but aborted due to weather.

Mission History
On February 3, 1942 took off piloting B-18 Bolo 36-338 on a flight bound for Soerabaja (Surabaja) to drop off the passengers then planned to return to Singosari Airfield (Malang). Aboard were four passengers including Major Joseph A. Burch and Col. William H. Murphy to inspect radio equipment. Approaching Soerabaja, spotted by A6M2 Zeros from Tainan Kōkūtai (Tainan Air Group) and shot down west of Surabaya on Java. Damaged, the pilots managed to crash land and escape, but both were severely burned and injured.

Straubel and Smith attempted to extricate the others from the plane wreckage. Straubel went back three times in an effort to save the others but all had died on impact. Afterwards, Straubel and Smith were taken to a Centrale Burgerlijke Ziekeninrichting (CBZ) Central Civil Hospital in Soerabaja. On February 4, 1942 at 3:00am Straubel who was severely burned and was administered morphine and told the nurse to let his wife know he was alright then died of his wounds. That same day, the U.S. consulate asked Reverend W. W. Patterson to officiate over the burial of the crew and passengers from the Bolo crash.

Recovery of Remains
On February 5, 1942 at 8:15am Straubel and the crew and passengers were buried in a Dutch cemetery Befraafplaats Kembang (Kembang Cemetery) in Soerabaja with funeral rites performed by Reverend W. W. Patterson. Postwar, they were exhumed by American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) and transported to India. On April 29, 1946 buried at American Military Cemetery in Barrackpore at plot 4, row R grave 43. Later, exhumed and flown to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii then shipped aboard Victory Ship USAT Dalton Victory to Oakland then to Wisconsin for permanent burial.

Memorials
Straubel was officially declared dead February 3, 1942 at age 37. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Purple Heart, posthumously.

In 1949, Straubel was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Allouez, WI. His epitaph reads "Austin A. Straubel 1904–1942 Killed In Action Java Area".

On August 28, 1949 Austin Straubel Field a new airport near Green Bay was named in his honor. Later, became known as Austin A. Straubel Airport and today renamed Green Bay Austin Straubel Airport. Outside the airport is a stone monument with an eagle atop, command pilot wings and aircraft in flight at the entrance to the airport off Airport Drive.

In 1946, Green Bay Airport was renamed renamed Austin A. Straubel Field, today Austin Straubel Airport. Outside the airport is a stone monument with an eagle atop, command pilot wings and aircraft in flight at the entrance to the airport off Airport Drive. Inside the terminal is a memorial plaque. In late 2016, a three panel display about Austin A. Straubel was installed in the airport terminal baggage claim area conceived and designed by John Dodds with graphic design assistance from Susan Linders.

In 2016, he was inducted in the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame (WAHF) after being researched and nominated by John Dodds.

References
Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) - Austin A. Straubel
Bremerton Daily News Searchlight "Minister Tells Tragic Burials In Jap Bombings" September 5, 1942 page 3
Fortress Against The Sun pages 119 (Straubel C.O. 7th BG), 121 (February 3, 1942), 410 (Footnote 50), 462 (index Straubel)
Austin A Straubel Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Air Corps by John A. Dodds November 4, 2013
Green Bay Press Gazette "Austin Straubel: 'Fighter through and through" by Doug Schneider November 23, 2015
Forward In Flight "Lieutenant Colonel Austin A. Straubel" Volume 14, Issue 1 Spring 2016 pages 8-15
Forward In Flight "Lieutenant Colonel Austin A. Straubel" Volume 14, Issue 4 Winter 2016 pages 2 (cover caption), 8-10 (The Green Bay File)
Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame (WAHF) - Austin A. Straubel inducted 2016
Wisconsin Historical Markers - Austin A. Straubel Field / Lt. Col. Austin A. Straubel Memorial via Wayback Machine April 11, 2021
Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport official website
FindAGrave - LTC Austin A Straubel (photo, grave photo, memorial marker) date of death February 3, 1942 [sic February 4, 1942]
Thanks to John Dodds for additional information

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