Scope and Contents

Over three linear feet of photographs, articles, correspondence, command histories and reports, video tapes, and artifacts document the activities of the USS Joseph Strauss Association.

Biographical / Historical

O.W. 'Bart' Bartholomew was born in 1931 in Cattaraugus County, New York. In 1949, Bartholomew volunteered for the United States Navy, beginning his 20 years of service. From August 1965 through June 1969, he served aboard the USS Joseph Strauss (DDG-16) as the Chief Radarman and Operational Specialist, ranked as an E-7. During this time, the USS Joseph Strauss sailed the waters of North Vietnam and of I-IV Corps of the Republic of Vietnam and was involved in the Tet Offensive (1968) and search and rescue actions in North Vietnam. Bartholomew retired in 1969 as an E-7 and received the following medals/citations for his service: Meritorious Unit Commendation, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal-Vietnam, Vietnam Service medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, Bartholomew then attended college for a Business Administration degree and then worked for the New York State Retirement System. He is a member of the American Legion, the American Veterans Association, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.