Paul Knapp and Harry Jorgenson, navy pilots, soar in patrol bombers over the Pacific and Atlantic. Their planes are such as have recently sunk many an axis ship of war. These two Mason Cityans trained at Pensacola, Fla, before receiving commissions.
Source: Globe-Gazette, Mason City IA – December 31, 1941 (photo included)
Paul Joseph Knapp was born July 1, 1916 to Anton S. and Lillian Kathryn Cassidy Knapp. He died Mar. 26, 1998 and is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, San Diego, CA.
Lt. Knapp (a Navy dive bomber pilot) earned the Navy Cross in WWII for scoring two direct hits on the Japanese carrier Shokatu while aboard the aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) during the Battle of the Coral Sea. He was promoted to Captain and during Vietnam he was the commander of the USS Princeton (LPH-5). He also served in Korea.
Sources:
homeofheroes.com;
ancestry.com
