Four Brothers See Service
One of Webster City’s families which have done much to back the war effort is the O.C. Knoll family, four members of which donned the uniform of either the army or navy between September, 1942 and June, 1944.
Oldest, both in years and the point of service is Cpl. Lee A. Knoll, 27, who entered the army Sept. 23, 1942, and took mechanical training at Sheppard Field, Texas, before transferring to Chanute Field, Ill., where he became a propeller specialist. Since Sept. 24, 1943, he has been overseas in the southwest Pacific.
Next to join the service was Cpl. Howard G., 24, who left Nov. 20, 1942, and was stationed with the 11th armored division at Camp Polk, LA. He was been transferred to Camp Cooke, Cal., where he is attached to a field artillery battalion.
Richard W. 21, enlisted in the navy air corps in September, 1942, but was not called to duty until January, 1943. As a cadet he completed his progressive training courses at Ames and at the pre-flight school at Iowa City where he suffered an elbow injury. After he was transferred to Minneapolis he underwent an operation on his injured arm and later entered the naval hospital at Great Lakes, Ill. After three months of treatment he was given an honorable discharge on June 2.
Youngest of the Knoll quartet is Samuel D. 18, who enlisted in the navy June 13 of this year and reported for duty June 26. A graduate of the Webster City high school this spring, he was sent to Camp Waldron, Farragut, Idaho for his boot training. His address is Samuel D. Knoll, AS, U. S. Naval Training Station, Co. 746–44, Camp Waldron, Farragut, Idaho.
Source: Webster City Freeman, Webster City, IA - July 17, 1944
SAW FRIEND
George A. Wells, MM 3-c, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Wells of this city, met a friend, Cpl. Lee Knoll, also of this city, in a surprise reunion recently somewhere in the South Pacific, according to word received here. Both servicemen had a fine time together from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. one day and spent their time looking at pictures of ones from home that they both know and in looking at Des Moines and Webster City papers. Wells, who went into the service in 1941, is attached to a repair ship with the Pacific fleet.
Source: Webster City Freeman, Thursday, August 17, 1944
GEORGE KNOLL DIED MARCH 18
W. C. Soldier Killed in Action in Germany With 34rd Army.
Cpl. H. George Knoll, 25, son of Mr. and Mrs. O. C. Knoll of this city was killed in action in Germany, March 18, his wife and parents have been notified by the war department.
Corporal Knoll was attached to the 11th armored division of General Patton’s Third army which has been scoring spectacular gains in the battle for Germany.
The Webster City soldier had been in service since November, 1943, and had been overseas since October, being assigned first to a station in England. His parents last heard from the corporal in a letter dated March 15 in which he spoke of being bombed.
Besides his parents, his wife and baby daughter, Georgeanne, 2. Corporal Knoll is survived by five brothers and three sisters: Sgt. Lee, in the Dutch East Indies; Sam, S 2/c, serving aboard a destroyer in the Pacific theater; Richard, now attending aeronautical school at Tulsa, Okla.; Robert and Herbert at home; Mrs. Helena Rairdin, Mrs. Muriel Olson and Margaret Knoll, all living in this city.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - Apr. 3, 1945
Lee Alfred Knoll was born Apr. 25, 1917 to Orville C. and Bernice Ethel Thompson Knoll. He died Apr. 27, 1996 and is buried in Cass Center Cemetery, Webster City, IA.
Lee served with the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II.
Source: ancestry.com
