455th Patch740th Patch741st Patch742nd Patch743rd Patch

455th Bombardment Group (H)

Kenneth Wilbur Strohbusch

16116231

Kenneth W. Strohbusch

Courtesy of Brad Cychosz

iGrosser crew

Courtesy of Brad Cychosz

Standing L-R: Thomas E. Hassen (N); Joseph R. Walsh, Jr. (B); Robert J. Morgan (CP); Harry J. Grosser, Jr. (P)

Kneeling L-R: Phillip T. Clark (RWG); Virgil Hankins (TG); Robert H. Armstrong (BTG); Leonard P. Cole (NG); Kenneth W. Strohbusch (RO); Herman A. Bundy (TTG)

I am looking for any information about this enlisted man.  I have some information, but am missing a lot.  The following is what I currently know.

Kenneth was born on 28 May 1923 in Aztalan, Jefferson County, Wisconsin.  He passed away on 25 March 2014 at the age of 90 in Stoughton, Dane County, Wisconsin.  He was burried in Janesville, Rock County, Wisconsin.

Kenneth enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 19 August 1942 and started active duty on 23 March 1943.  He was sent to Radio Operator school and upon completion he was assigned a Military Occupational Specialty code of 757, Radio Operator Mechanic Gunner.  He departed the United States on 16 June 1944 for the European Theater and arrived at the 455th Bombardment Group (H) at San Giovanni Field, Italy on 7 July 1944.  He was assigned to the 741st Bombardment Squadron (H).

From July to October, Kenneth flew 24 missions against the Axis powers.  On 13 October 1944, he was flying as the Radio Operator on aircraft #499 piloted by Lt. Harry Grosser.  The mission for that day was described as follows:

Mission 131, October 13. This was another day for double missions. We loaded the first mission with 500# RDX bombs to bomb the oil refinery at Blechhammer, Germany. Flak at this target was always intense and accurate, and this day was no excpetion. We lost two aircraft to flak. One plane managed to make it back to allied territory and the crew was recovered. We reported 11 crewmen missing and one killed in action. It was a rough mission as six airplanes received heavy damage and four with slight damage. The flak at Blechhammer was indeed accurate.

Mission 132, October 13. The second mission for this day was to the marshalling yards at Szekesfehervar, Hungary. Twenty B-24s loaded with 500# RDX bombs dropped 45% of their bombs on the target with no flak, flighters or casualties. All planes returned without incident.

Since no aircraft were lost on Mission 132, the Grosser crew must have been flying Mission 131 to Blechhammer, Germany.  They didn't return from that mission and were classified as Missing In Action.

The crew consisted of the following men:

Pilot

Lt. Harry J. Grosser, Jr.

Co-Pilot

Lt. Robert J. Morgan

Navigator

Lt. Batchelder

Bombardier

Lt. Joseph R. Walsh, Jr.

Radio Operator

Sgt. Kenneth W. Strohbusch

Top Turret Gunner

Sgt. Herman A. Bundy

Right Waist Gunner

Sgt. Phillip T. Clark

Left Waist Gunner

Sgt. Milton Montgomery

Ball Turret Gunner

Sgt. Billy Finks

Tail Turret Gunner

Sgt. Robert H. Armstrong

According to Kenneth, he was MIA from 13 October until 27 December 1944 at which time he was returned to the 455th Bomb Group.

This is where the records of Kenneth Strohbusch end.  So far I have been unable to find any record of him following his MIA experience up until he left Italy to return to the United States on 6 May 1945 arriving back in the States on 15 May 1945.  Since Kenneth flew 35 missions, there are 11 missions on which he flew that are missing from the records.  If anyone can supply any information about Kenneth Strohbusch following December 27, please get in touch with Webmaster at hughes@glantzberg.us.

In addition, records also show that Strohbusch flew with the following crews:

Mission 79, July 16. We sent 28 B-24s loaded with fragmentation bombs to bomb the airdrome at Munchendorf, Austria. The target was completely covered by clouds so the planes brought their bombs back to base. All planes returned safely.

Pilot

Lt. Bill Disdrew

Co-Pilot

Lt. Harry J. Grosser, Jr.

Navigator

Lt. Thomas E. Hassen

Bombardier

Lt. Jack Flechsig

Radio Operator

Sgt. Kenneth W. Strohbusch

Top Turret Gunner

Sgt. Herman A. Bundy

Right Waist Gunner

Sgt. Phillip T. Clark

Left Waist Gunner

Sgt. Harold Emmons

Ball Turret Gunner

Sgt. Ralph Armstrong

Tail Turret Gunner

Sgt. Robert Caldwell

Mission 105, August 28. We sent 31 B-24s to bomb the railroad bridges in northern Italy. Our assigned bridges were at Avisio and Pescheria. Their destruction was to disrupt the German retreat but we did not do a very good job. Only one bridge was identified and we missed that one. One aircraft was severely damaged by flak but all returned safely.

Pilot

Lt. Harry J. Grosser, Jr.

Co-Pilot

Lt. Robert J. Morgan

Navigator

Lt. Thomas E. Hassen

Bombardier

 

Radio Operator

Sgt. Kenneth W. Strohbusch

Top Turret Gunner

Sgt. Herman A. Bundy

Right Waist Gunner

Sgt. Gene Millet

Left Waist Gunner

Sgt. Phillip T. Clark

Ball Turret Gunner

Sgt. Ralph Armstrong

Tail Turret Gunner

Sgt. Miller