Austin Straubel Major Austin A . Straubel ( September 4 , 1904 – February 3 , 1942 ) was commander of the 11th Bombardment Squadron and acting commander of the 7th Bombardment Group when he died from burns received , when he was attacked by Japanese Zero Planes , and shot down , from the resulting crash of a B - 18 Bolo near Surabaya , Java . Austin Straubel International Airport , near Green Bay , Wisconsin , is named after him . On February 3 , 1942 , Major Straubel was joined by 2nd Lieutenant Russell M . Smith , copilot , and Staff Sergeant George W . Pickett , flight engineer . The three were flying a Douglas B - 18 “ Bolo ” ( 36 - 338 ) to Bandung , Indonesia . Straubel , unhappy with the relationship between 5th Bomber Command and his 7th Bomb Group , had decided to meet with Major General , Lewis H . Brereton Deputy Chief of Staff . After meeting with Brereton , he departed for Malang Indonesia with three passengers the next day . While flying through a pass near Surabaya , Straubel ’ s aircraft was attacked by Japanese Zeros and shot down . All aboard were killed in the crash or died shortly afterwards at a nearby hospital . Straubel was the first Brown County aviator to lose his life in World War II . The Brown County Airport Committee , in a March 20 , 1946 letter , asked the Brown County Board of Supervisors to “ consider naming the new Brown County Airport in memory of Austin Straubel . ” The facility is widely known today as Austin Straubel International Airport ( GRB ) . Straubel , buried in Java , was reinterred at Green Bay ’ s Woodlawn Cemetery on January 8 , 1949 . Early life . Austin was born to Carl A . and Alice C . ( Van Dycke ) Straubel on September 14 , 1904 , one of four children and the couple ’ s only son . Austin played tackle on the Green Bay East High School ’ s football team . He attended the University of Wisconsin ( Madison ) where he continued playing football . After graduating in 1927 , he returned to Green Bay and worked at his father ’ s business , Midwest Cold Storage . Austin Straubel ’ s grandfather , H . August Straubel , was among the early settlers of Brown County , Wisconsin . His family put down roots in 1846 , later he would join the army and fight in the Civil War . 7th & 11th Bombardment Group . It was December 7 , 1941 , and Major Straubel was commanding the 11th Bombardment Squadron , part of the 7th Bombardment Group ( Heavy ) , and things had just gotten crazy . The group was stationed at Hamilton Field , Hamilton Air Force Base California , and their ground support troops had sailed on November 21 for the Philippines . Straubel ’ s squadron was preparing for their flight to the Philippines . Confusion continued and amazingly , orders called for some aircraft to fly west while others flew east . Joined by the eight others in his crew , Straubel flew Consolidated LB - 30 ( B - 24 ) AL - 609 , via the African route , arriving at Singasori Field , Malang , Java , at 1130 on January 11 , 1942 . They were part of a mixed group of B - 17s and LB - 30s , some of which flew the Pacific while others , like Straubel , flew the Atlantic . Five aircraft were assigned the group ’ s first mission on January 16 . Straubel would lead three LB - 30s and two B - 17s . The Liberators were to bomb the airfield at Langoan while the Fortresses were to attack ships in Manado Bay . Straubel would earn the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts that day . Lt . Col . Austin Straubel was the first aviator from Brown County to lose his life in his Country ’ s service , February 3 , 1942 , while on a bombing mission over Makassar Strait , after having served in the United States Air Corp . for 13 years . In Early 1942 , during World War II , it was the scene of naval and air battles as the Allies tried to prevent the Japanese from occupying Borneo called the Battle of Makassar Strait . Lt . Col . Straubel was the grandson of one of Brown County ’ s first families that settled here in the year 1846 and his grandfather served the North for four years during the Civil War . On March 20 , 1946 , the Brown County Board of Supervisors signed a resolution to name their new airport “ Austin Straubel Field ” after Lt . Col . Austin Straubel for his dauntless courage , devotion to duty and self - sacrifice , and that he be recognized and honored in a memorable manner .