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| Click Here For Full Artist Print Indexes | Aviation History Archive |
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Donald Strait
| Major General Donald Strait (deceased) Don Strait was born on April 28th, 1918 and grew up in Verona, New Jersey. From an early age Don Strait wanted to be a pilot, and after working for Prudential Insurance Company for a short period Don Strait enlisted in 1940 in the 119th Observation Squadron of the New Jersey National Guard. Initially Don Strait was an armorer and moved up to become an aerial gunner in the two-seater O-46 and O-47 observation planes. He qualified as an aviation cadet in early 1942 and started his training at Maxwell Field, Alabama. After Basic and in January 1943 Strait received his wings and his commission. Don Strait got his ambition to become a fighter pilot, he began flying the P-47 Thunderbolt at Westover Field, MA. After checking out in the P-47 and completing transition training he was assigned to the 356th Fighter Group, then at Bradley Field, CT. By August, 1943 Don Strait had been promoted to Captain before being transferred to England. Captain Don Strait with the 356th Fighter Group went to Martlesham Heath in England flying first the P-47 Thunderbolt. Martlesham Heath was just five miles from the North Sea, which made it relatively easy to find when returning from a mission in bad weather. The 356th made its first combat sorties in October, 1943, with sweeps over Holland and northern France; sightings of Luftwaffe planes were quite rare, and the group took over a month to score its first aerial victory. Strait's first combat occurred on February 6th, 1944, when his flight bounced a pair of Fw190s while on an escort mission. He immediately attacked. The 190s split apart and he chased one down to the deck. He scored hits on it and the pilot bailed out - Strait's first kill. But he and his wingman had used too much fuel, and barely made it back to base. He shot down a couple more Bf109s while flying Thunderbolts on February 10th and May 19th. Having completed well over 200 combat hours, he was entitled to rotate home, but agreed to continue front-line flying, provided that he was given command of the 361st Fighter Squadron. He took a 30-day leave and returned to Europe in September, 1944. He and Captain George May, the intelligence officer, reviewed daily sightings and disposition of the Luftwaffe, which helped him plan and lead the squadron's missions. Don Strait took part in long range bomber escort and ground support missions, taking part in all the D-Day operations, before converting to P51s. The group flew their first Mustang mission on November 20, the same day that Strait assumed command of the 361st FS. In two combat tours he flew a total of 122 missions. He led the squadron again on November 26, 1944, when it flew an escort mission over the heavily defended Ruhr. After linking up with the B-17s just east of Holland, the pilots were advised of 40 bandits approaching from the south. As Strait's sixteen Mustangs arrived in the Osnabruck area, they spotted the 40 Bf109s at 25,000 feet. They dropped tanks and attacked. Then Strait spotted about another 150 German fighters at various altitudes, preparing to attack the bombers. 'We've got the whole damn Luftwaffe!' he radioed. He closed to within 350 yards of an enemy airplane and fired - it dived away smoking. Strait's wingman saw it crash. Strait soon bounced another 109, but it eluded him. He spotted a third and closed to within 300 yards, and exploded it (a shared kill with Lt. Shelby Jett). After this dogfighting, fuel began to be a concern, so they headed home. That day the 356th FG destroyed 23 enemy aircraft without losing a single American. After two more victories on December 5th, Strait found more air combat on Christmas Day. In action again against Bf109s, he had a nasty moment when his first victim left oil and engine coolant all over his windscreen. Skidding away, Strait almost rammed his foe. He continued shooting down German planes in 1945 - an Fw190 on Jan. 14th, another Fw190 on Feb 14th, and three Fiesler Storch light observation planes on Feb 20th. Don Strait commanded the 361st Fighter Squadron, and became the Group's leading fighter Ace with 13 and a half air victories, all but three of these flying the P51. After the war he rejoined the NJ Air National Guard. He later commanded the 108th Tactical Wing in Korea, where he flew the F86, F84, and F105 jet. Participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Vietnam. He retired from the Air Force in 1978 with the rank of Major General, and was inducted into the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame in 1989. Donald Strait died on 30th March 2015. |
Items Signed by Major General Donald Strait (deceased) |
  | Clipped Signature - Donald Strait. Price : £45.00 | After enlisting in 1940, he became a P-47 Thunderbolt pilot in 1943, and by that August was promoted to Captain before he left for England. Flying with the 356th Fighter Group, He scored 3 victories before taking command of the 361st Fighter Squadr...... | |
  | Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. Price : £215.00 | Though some 1400 of Germanys remarkable Me262 jet aircraft were built, fewer than 300 ever saw action during its short 10 month combat career, the 550 mph fighter-bomber arriving in service too late to make any impression on the course of the war. ...... | |
| | Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. (AP) SOLD OUT | Though some 1400 of Germanys remarkable Me262 jet aircraft were built, fewer than 300 ever saw action during its short 10 month combat career, the 550 mph fighter-bomber arriving in service too late to make any impression on the course of the war. ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. (B) Price : £295.00 | Though some 1400 of Germanys remarkable Me262 jet aircraft were built, fewer than 300 ever saw action during its short 10 month combat career, the 550 mph fighter-bomber arriving in service too late to make any impression on the course of the war. ...... | |
| | Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. (C) SOLD OUT | Though some 1400 of Germanys remarkable Me262 jet aircraft were built, fewer than 300 ever saw action during its short 10 month combat career, the 550 mph fighter-bomber arriving in service too late to make any impression on the course of the war. ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. (D) SOLD OUT | Though some 1400 of Germanys remarkable Me262 jet aircraft were built, fewer than 300 ever saw action during its short 10 month combat career, the 550 mph fighter-bomber arriving in service too late to make any impression on the course of the war. ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. (E) SOLD OUT | Though some 1400 of Germanys remarkable Me262 jet aircraft were built, fewer than 300 ever saw action during its short 10 month combat career, the 550 mph fighter-bomber arriving in service too late to make any impression on the course of the war. ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian. Price : £160.00 | There was never a greater concentration of air power deployed in an active theater of war as over the English Channel in May and June 1944. As D-Day approached, the USAAFs Ninth Air Force had assembled over 3500 aircraft a day, they were pounding ene...... | |
| | D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian (AP) Price : £250.00 | There was never a greater concentration of air power deployed in an active theater of war as over the English Channel in May and June 1944. As D-Day approached, the USAAFs Ninth Air Force had assembled over 3500 aircraft a day, they were pounding ene...... | |
| | D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian (B) Price : £220.00 | There was never a greater concentration of air power deployed in an active theater of war as over the English Channel in May and June 1944. As D-Day approached, the USAAFs Ninth Air Force had assembled over 3500 aircraft a day, they were pounding ene...... |
| | D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian (C) SOLD OUT | There was never a greater concentration of air power deployed in an active theater of war as over the English Channel in May and June 1944. As D-Day approached, the USAAFs Ninth Air Force had assembled over 3500 aircraft a day, they were pounding ene...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian. (XX) Price : £140.00 | There was never a greater concentration of air power deployed in an active theater of war as over the English Channel in May and June 1944. As D-Day approached, the USAAFs Ninth Air Force had assembled over 3500 aircraft a day, they were pounding en...... | |
| | D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian. (Y) SOLD OUT | There was never a greater concentration of air power deployed in an active theater of war as over the English Channel in May and June 1944. As D-Day approached, the USAAFs Ninth Air Force had assembled over 3500 aircraft a day, they were pounding en...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | Teamwork by Nicolas Trudgian. Price : £135.00 | P-51 Mustangs of the 20th Fighter Group make a low pass over B-17s of the 401st Bomb Group at Deenethorpe, as they return to their base at Kingscliffe in late 1944. ...... | |
| | Teamwork by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) Price : £90.00 | P-51 Mustangs of the 20th Fighter Group make a low pass over B-17s of the 401st Bomb Group at Deenethorpe, as they return to their base at Kingscliffe in late 1944. ...... |
| | Teamwork by Nicolas Trudgian. (XX) Price : £125.00 | P-51 Mustangs of the 20th Fighter Group make a low pass over B-17s of the 401st Bomb Group at Deenethorpe, as they return to their base at Kingscliffe in late 1944. ...... | |
  | Heading Home to Raydon by Robert Taylor. Price : £125.00 | After a grueling bomber escort mission late in WWII, P-51 Mustangs of the 353rd Fighter Group return to their base at Raydon, Suffolk. ...... | |
  | Eagles on the Rampage by Robert Taylor. Price : £210.00 | Dominating the skies over Germany, P-51s of the 4th Fighter Group - The Eagles - sweep across the cloud tops, their pilots scanning the distant horizon for any signs of the Luftwaffe. They are ready for trouble should the enemy decide to chance the...... | |
| | Eagles on the Rampage by Robert Taylor. (AP) Price : £375.00 | Dominating the skies over Germany, P-51s of the 4th Fighter Group - The Eagles - sweep across the cloud tops, their pilots scanning the distant horizon for any signs of the Luftwaffe. They are ready for trouble should the enemy decide to chance the...... | |
| | Eagles on the Rampage by Robert Taylor. (B) SOLD OUT | Dominating the skies over Germany, P-51s of the 4th Fighter Group - The Eagles - sweep across the cloud tops, their pilots scanning the distant horizon for any signs of the Luftwaffe. They are ready for trouble should the enemy decide to chance the...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Eagles on the Rampage by Robert Taylor. (C) SOLD OUT | Dominating the skies over Germany, P-51s of the 4th Fighter Group - The Eagles - sweep across the cloud tops, their pilots scanning the distant horizon for any signs of the Luftwaffe. They are ready for trouble should the enemy decide to chance the...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Eagles on the Rampage by Robert Taylor. (RM) SOLD OUT | Dominating the skies over Germany, P-51s of the 4th Fighter Group - The Eagles - sweep across the cloud tops, their pilots scanning the distant horizon for any signs of the Luftwaffe. They are ready for trouble should the enemy decide to chance the...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Eagles on the Rampage by Robert Taylor. (RMB) SOLD OUT | Dominating the skies over Germany, P-51s of the 4th Fighter Group - The Eagles - sweep across the cloud tops, their pilots scanning the distant horizon for any signs of the Luftwaffe. They are ready for trouble should the enemy decide to chance the...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | To The Victor - The Spoils by Nicolas Trudgian Price : £35.00 | Commissioned especially for the book signing event at the Air & Space Museum Washington on the 8th & 9th November 2008. This absolutely incredible drawing depicts U. S. troops on the outskirts of Munich, stumbling on a damaged Me262 on the edge of t...... | |
  | Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian. Price : £160.00 | From the day they began their aerial campaign against Nazi Germany to the cessation of hostilities in 1945, the USAAF bomber crews plied their hazardous trade in broad daylight. This tactic may have enabled better sighting of targets, and possibly l...... |
 | Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian (AP) Price : £200.00 | From the day they began their aerial campaign against Nazi Germany to the cessation of hostilities in 1945, the USAAF bomber crews plied their hazardous trade in broad daylight. This tactic may have enabled better sighting of targets, and possibly l...... | |
| | Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian. (RM) SOLD OUT | From the day they began their aerial campaign against Nazi Germany to the cessation of hostilities in 1945, the USAAF bomber crews plied their hazardous trade in broad daylight. This tactic may have enabled better sighting of targets, and possibly l...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian. (XX) SOLD OUT | From the day they began their aerial campaign against Nazi Germany to the cessation of hostilities in 1945, the USAAF bomber crews plied their hazardous trade in broad daylight. This tactic may have enabled better sighting of targets, and possibly ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian (Y) Price : £145.00 | From the day they began their aerial campaign against Nazi Germany to the cessation of hostilities in 1945, the USAAF bomber crews plied their hazardous trade in broad daylight. This tactic may have enabled better sighting of targets, and possibly l...... |
Packs with at least one item featuring the signature of Major General Donald Strait (deceased) |
   | Me262 Jet Fighter Print Pack. Pack Price : £850.00 Saving : £660 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : In Defense of the Reich by Nicolas Trudgian. (C) Return of the Hunters by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. Defenders of the Reich by Graeme Lothian. (B) | |
 | Me262 Defence of the Reich Print Pack. Pack Price : £700.00 Saving : £570 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : In Defense of the Reich by Nicolas Trudgian. (C) Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. End Game by Nicolas Trudgian. (C) Defenders of the Reich by Graeme Lothian. (B) | |
 | Mustang Aviation Art Print Pack. Pack Price : £300.00 Saving : £170 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian. Eagles on the Rampage by Robert Taylor. Guardian Angel by Anthony Saunders. | |
 | Nicolas Trudgian P-51 Mustang Aircraft Print Pack. Pack Price : £260.00 Saving : £200 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian. Mustangs Over the Mediterranean by Nicolas Trudgian. Guardian Angel by Anthony Saunders. | |
 | P-51 Mustang Aviation Art Prints. Pack Price : £260.00 Saving : £145 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian. Dual Victory by Richard Taylor. Guardian Angel by Anthony Saunders. |
 | Pack 541. Pack of two WW2 USAF aviation prints by Nicolas Trudgian and Simon Smith. Pack Price : £250.00 Saving : £130 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian. Little Friends by Simon Smith. Guardian Angel by Anthony Saunders. | |
 | Luftwaffe Me262 Jet Aviation Art Prints. Pack Price : £590.00 Saving : £295 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : In Defense of the Reich by Nicolas Trudgian. (C) Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. Messerschmitt Me262B-1a/U1 by Ivan Berryman. | |
 | US Aircraft Very Special Discount Pack. Pack Price : £250.00 Saving : £270 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian. End Game by Nicolas Trudgian. Dinah Might by Ivan Berryman. (C) Guardian Angel by Anthony Saunders. | |
   | Special Sale Pack of 5 Prints - 4 FREE! Pack Price : £180.00 Saving : £210 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian. The Struggle for Malta by Ivan Berryman. (F) LCT 312 by Ivan Berryman. (D) Typhoons Over Normandy by Ivan Berryman. (D) Dinah Might by Ivan Berryman. | |
| | Special Sale Pack of 5 Prints - 4 FREE! Pack Price : £190.00 Saving : £200 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian. The Struggle for Malta by Ivan Berryman. (F) LCT 312 by Ivan Berryman. (D) Typhoons Over Normandy by Ivan Berryman. (D) Dinah Might by Ivan Berryman. |
  | D-Day US Aviation Print Pack. Pack Price : £160.00 Saving : £165 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian. Dinah Might by Ivan Berryman. (C) Pure Dynamite by Ivan Berryman. (C) Looking for Trouble by Keith Woodcock. | |
 | Pack 254. Pack of two WW2 USAAF Mustang art prints by Simon Atack and Nicolas Trudgian. Pack Price : £240.00 Saving : £170 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Final Victory by Simon Atack. Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian. | |
 | Pack 540. Pack of two D-Day Normandy aviation prints by Nicolas Trudgian. Pack Price : £215.00 Saving : £315 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian. Returning from Caen by Graeme Lothian. | |
| | Rare Me262 Jet Prints by Robert Taylor and Graeme Lothian. Pack Price : £260.00 Saving : £210 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. Defenders of the Reich by Graeme Lothian. (B) | |
 | Me262 Aviation Print Pack by Robert Taylor and Nicolas Trudgian. Pack Price : £260.00 Saving : £135 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. Alpine Scramble by Nicolas Trudgian. (F) |
 | US Mustang Fighter Aviation Prints. Pack Price : £230.00 Saving : £80 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian. Mustang Escort by Graeme Lothian. |
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