Elliott B. Strauss

Elliott Bowman Strauss, CBE (March 15, 1903 – August 19, 2003) was a rear admiral of the United States Navy who served during World War II.

Early life Strauss was the son of Admiral Joseph Strauss (1861–1948) and Mary Sweitzer Strauss (1870–1958), and the grandson of Brigadier General Nelson Bowman Sweitzer (1828–1898), the brother of Brigadier General Jacob Bowman Sweitzer (1821–1888). He was born in Washington, D.C., and attended The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut.

Strauss entered the United States Naval Academy in June 1919, and graduated in June 1923 with the rank of ensign. While there he was a Delegate to the Third Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics in Edinburgh, in 1936, and on May 12, 1937, was awarded the Coronation Medal at the coronation of King George VI of the United Kingdom.

In October 1944, Strauss took command of the attack transport . In January 1945 he was assigned to the Pacific Fleet and voyaged to Guadalcanal, Manus and Bougainville carrying men and supplies. On April 1, 1945, he took part in the landings on Okinawa. Strauss returned to the United States in August 1945 to serve in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington D.C.

Strauss was a longtime director of the Naval Historical Foundation (NHF), serving for a time as its chairman.

Personal life On March 3, 1928, he was married to heiress Lydia Anne Archbold Saunderson (1907–1988), daughter of Anne Mills Archbold (1873–1968) and the granddaughter of John D. Archbold. Her father, Armar Dayrolles Saunderson (1872–1952), was divorced from her mother after he attempted to force her to remain in his native Ireland. Before their divorce, they had three children: Elliott MacGregor Strauss (1928–2008) Armar Archbold Strauss (1931–2012), who married Umeko Hyoto of Japan. Lydia Saunderson Strauss, who married Olivier Guy Delaunay, son of Guy Delaunay of Paris, in 1958.

After their divorce, Lydia remarried to Robert Whittier Foote. Together, they were the parents of: Christopher J. Strauss He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Honors Strauss was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V", the citation reading: "For meritorious achievement as the United States Naval Representative on the Staff of the Chief of Combined Operations in the Dieppe Raid, and while serving on the Staff of the Allied Naval Commander in Chief during the Invasion of Normandy. Embarked as an observer in a British destroyer which rendered close fire support during the Allied raid on Dieppe on August 19, 1942, Captain (then Commander) Strauss obtained information of great value to the United States and Great Britain in the planning and execution of subsequent operations. Ordered to the Normandy beaches on D-Day+2, he applied his comprehensive knowledge of the build-up procedure in solving far shore shipping problems which threatened to delay the operations. Serving with distinction, skill and courage despite enemy air and ground attack throughout these missions to halt German aggression, Captain Strauss upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."