BLAUS, KARLIS INDRIKIS

• March 23, 1901 - Born, in Ventspils
• His family were refugees in Russia during the First World War, where his father was shot in Pleskava. He was shot by bolsheviks, and as a result Blaus was passionately opposed to communism for the rest of his life.
• Volunteered for the Latvian military in the Latgale battles vs. the bolsheviks
• 1922 - Graduates from military college, rank of Lieutenant
• Transfers to the Aviation Division
• April 19, 1923 - completes his first solo flight
• October 11, 1923 - member of the Artillery Spotting unit.
• May 26, 1924 - flies as passenger with R.Gulbis in LVG #27 (R.Gulbis' log book)
• June 15, 1924 - participates in the Aviation Festival at Riga/Spilve. Flew as the observer in DFW C.V #3, flown by R.Gulbis.
• June 29, 1924 - passenger in LVG #27, flown by R.Gulbis, which has a hard landing in heavy winds (breaking the tail skid).
• August 28, 1928 - promoted to the rank of Captain
• August 6-7, 1929 - participates in a goodwill flight to Tallin, Estonia.
• 1929 - 1932 - appears on the roster of the 1st Fighter Squadron
• Dec. 9, 1929 - is assigned one of the first new Bristol Bulldog fighters.
• May 25, 1930 - participates in the Aviation Festival at Riga/Spilve.
• May 31, 1931 - Participates in the Aviation Festival at Riga/Spilve.
• 1931 - the recipient of the annual Clifford Harmon award (from the Ligue Internationale des Aviateurs) as the best pilot in Latvia.
• 1931 - flew the new Fiat CR.1 fighter
• June 5, 1932 - Participates in the Aviation Festival at Riga/Spilve.
• May 28, 1933 - Participates in the Aviation Festival at Riga/Spilve.
• 1933 - Commander of the 1st Fighter Squadron
• January 2, 1934 - replaced by Kandis as Commander of the 1st Fighter Squadron.
• September 9, 1934 - participates in the Aviation Festival at Riga/Spilve.
• 1935 - the Latvian Aero Club is reconstituted and, as a member of the transitional administration, Blaus is assigned responsibility for aerodromes.
• September 8, 1935 - Participates in the Aviation Festival at Riga/Spilve.
• May 1, 1936 - Named Commander of the 6th Recon Squadron.
• May 16, 1936 - promoted to the rank of Captain.
• June 7, 1936 - Commander of the 2nd Fighter Squadron.
• Dec. 31, 1939 - Graduates from advanced officer training
• 1939 - serves as adjutant to R.Kandis, Commander of the Aviation Group.
• June 7, 1939 - As part of the Aviation Regiment's 20th anniversary, he is awarded the Viestura Ordenis IV Class (with swords).
• 1940-41 (Soviet Occupation) - employed by the Priekule agricultural school, training farm tractor operators.
• (German occupation) Assigned to the 26th Tukums battalion
• Assigned as Commander of the Latvian railway police
• At the end of the war he served in the guard at Nuremburg and Stuttgart
• Emigrated to the USA
• December 17, 1980 - Died, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin