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LT  Joseph L. STRAUS

UNIT: 351st BOMB Sqdn POSITION: BOM
SERIAL #: O-928356 STATUS: CPT
MACR:

Comments1: 20 APR 45 ORANIENBURG

COMMENTS & NOTES

MEMO 1:

CREW

2nd Lt Ivan .W.Rosenbaum    P        FEH Injured in crash landing of Glory Bound
2nd Lt Thomas J.Slaven,Jr.    CP      FEH  Injured in crash landing of Glory Bound
   F/O Arnold E.Bennett      NAV      FEH
2nd Lt Joseph L.Straus       BOM        FEH    SN# 0-928356
   Cpl Bernard W.Guza         ROG       FEH
   Cpl Perry C.Peckham        TTE     FEH   
   Cpl Ellis A.LaLonde         BTG     FEH
   Cpl Edwin Villa               WG       FEH 
   Cpl John F.Curran             TG      FEH

351st Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 24/12/44.  Crew # 69
Crew flew following A/C: 521-Skyway Chariot,  514-EZ Goin, 852, 767-Our Gal Sal, 616(418th), 162(418th), 
708-Skipper II, 992, 632, 963

Jan 4, 1945 while returning from training mission at Thorpe Abbotts, crashed A/C#338523 (GLORY BOUND) on landing.  2nd Lt Ivan Rosenbaum and 2nd Lt Thomas Slaven were both Injured in the crash and hospitalized.   Upon recovery, Lt Slaven would become a fill in CP, he flew on Lt Streich Crew.  Due too the injuries both Rosenbaum and Slaven were removed from the crew and replaced by Lt Melvin Kodas.  Crew became known as "KODAS KIDS".  Crew would fly with a different Co-Pilot on most missions.  The missions are listed below with co-pilots listed. Lt Rosenbaum would come back to fly 8 missions with his "old" Crew in April 45.  

Combat Missions of 2nd Lt Joseph Straus (KODAS KIDS)...(mpf 2000)

1. 10/1/45 COLOGNE-A/C Skyway Chariot- Co-Pilot-Capt. Albrecht bombed Dusseldorf by mistake
2. 13/1/45 MAINZ-Rhine River Bridge, Co-Pilot- F/O Raymond Stiller
3. 14/1/45 DERBEN- Oil Storage,        Co-Pilot-F/O Raymond Stiller
4. 17/1/45 HAMBURG-Oil Factory,       Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Paul Batterman
5. 28/1/45 DUISBURG-RR Bridge,       Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem
6. 29/1/45 KASSEL-tank factory      Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem
7.   3/2/45 BERLIN-City                Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert  Mellem                                                       
8.   6/2/45 ZWICKAU-oil plant       Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem
9.   9/2/45 WEIMER-tank factory     Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem
10. 15/2/45 COTTBUS-ST,               Nav-Lt John Gross, Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem
11. 21/2/45 NURNBURG-RR Yards    Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert  G. Mellem
12. 22/2/45 WEHENGER-TO  "     "
13. 23/2/45 TREUCHTLINGEN-RR "     "
14. 25/2/45 MUNICH-RR Yards  "     "
15. 26/2/45 BERLIN-RR Yards  "     "
16.   2/3/45 DRESDEN   "     "
17.   7/3/45 SIEGEN-RR Yards  "     "
18.   8/3/45 GEISSEN-RR Yards  "     "
19. 10/3/45 DORTMUND-RR Yards "     "
20. 11/3/45 HAMBURG-Oil Plant  "     "
21. 15/3/45 ORANIENBURG-RR        Nav-Lt John Gross, Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem
22. 18/3/45 BERLIN-RR Yards-         Nav-Lt John Gross, Co-Piolt-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem
23. 21/3/45 PLAUEN-tank factory    Nav-Lt John Gross, Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem -cpt 35 mission
         Captain Melvin Kodas last mission with Crew
24. 28/3/45 HANNOVER-tank factory,  Pilot-Lt Ivan Rosenbaum, CP-2nd Lt Francis Beed, Nav-F/O Arnold Bennett 
25. 30/3/45 HAMBURG-sub pens "       "
26. 31/3/45 ZEITZ-oil refinery  "       "
27. 14/4/45 ROYAN-gun positions near Bordeaux  Pilot-Lt Rosenbaum, CP-2nd Lt Walter G. Scott 
       Lt Scott completed his 35 mission
28. 15/4/45 ROYAN-gun positions       Pilot-Lt Ivan Rosenbaum CP-? 
29. 16/4/45 POINT DE-GRAVE-gun positions near Bordeaux- Pilot -Lt Ivan Rosenbaum
30. 17/4/45 AUSSIG-RR Yards           Pilot-Lt Ivan Rosenbaum
31. 20/4/45 ORANIENBURG-RR Yards     Pilot-Lt Ivan Rosenbaum

Chowhounds:            
 1/5/45  LEYDEN/HOLLAND
 2/5/45  AMSTERDAM-SHIPHOL
 5/5/45  BERGEN
 7/5/45  AMSTERDAM-SHIPHOL

MEMO 2:


			

             
            

         

         
KIA / MIA / EVA / INT INFORMATION: 
  
         

  

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BURIAL INFORMATION

            

  

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PHOTOS:

           
                                                   
 Identification Badge issued for the Russian Shuttle Missions. Donated to the 100th Archive by Joseph Straus. (100th Photo Archives) 
 Back side of Identification Badge for the Russian Shuttle Missions in the above photograph. Donated to the 100th Archive by Joseph Straus. (100th Photo Archives) 
                 
           
 

       
SERVED IN: 

				
Crew 1
Crew 2
			
	
        
		
        ID:
			5016