Austin August Straubel

By Tony La Luzerne and Dan Liedtke

While most people know where the Austin Straubel International Airport is and many of us have been though its gates, how many of us know about the airport’s namesake, Austin Straubel?

Austin August Straubel was born September 4, 1904 to Carl and Alice Straubel. He grew up in Green Bay and graduated from Green Bay East in 1923 and the University of Wisconsin in 1927.[i]

In 1928 he joined the Army Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field in Texas and completed their courses on June 22, 1929, becoming a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Air Corps Reserve. For the next several years, Straubel attended all the specialized air training schools the Corps had to offer, most of which were based in California. Also during this time, Straubel married the former Isabel Walthall and had two daughters, Susan and Victoria.[ii] One of his most memorable experiences of training happened at Chanute Field in Rantoul, IL. While observing some training exercises, one paratrooper’s  chute got caught on his plane as he jumped. Straubel immediately ran to the base kitchen to grab a knife and a sandbag and told another pilot to come with him. They got in a plane and Straubel told the pilot to get as close as possible to the other plane. He then got out on the wing and lowered the knife to the stranded paratrooper, using the sandbag to keep it steady. The paratrooper was able to cut the line and land safely with his emergency chute![iii]

In 1939, Straubel was promoted to Captain and in 1941, Major. On February 3, while returning to base in the Philippines in a B-18 bomber, his plane was attacked by Japanese fighters. While he was badly injuered and his plane was damaged, he managed to land the plane on the island of Soerabaja (now called Surabaya). Unfortunately, he died the next day and was buried at the local hospital cemetery.[iv] Struabel had received word on his deathbed that he had been promoted to Colonel.[v]

Straubel was the first aviator from Green Bay to die in service to his country. He was posthumously awarded the  Distinguished Flying Cross and a Purple Heart. In early 1949, his remains were brought back to Green Bay and buried in Woodlawn Cemetary with full military honors. Late that year, Brown County dedicated its new airport in his name.[vi]

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[i] Green Bay Press Gazette. “Airport is named for native of city who died in service.” August 26, 1949: 6.

[ii] Green Bay Press Gazette. “Major Straubel killed in action.” February 6, 1942: 1.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Green Bay Press Gazette. “Airport is named for native of city who died in service.” August 26, 1949: 6.

[v] McPherson, Irene W. Four Decades of Courage. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse 2006.

[vi] Green Bay Press Gazette. “Airport is named for native of city who died in service.” August 26, 1949: 6.