SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR OF 1898
FRANCIS BENJAMIN KNAPPENBERGER (1871-1904)
Francis Benjamin Knappenberger, Philippine Islands, 1898
[photo graciously provided by Marjorie Taylor Knappenberger & Mark Farren]
Francis Benjamin was born 12 March 1871 in Allentown, PA and died 19 February 1904 in Clinton County, Indiana. He was the son of Elias Jeremias Knappenberger (1843-1926) of Clinton County, Indiana and grandson of Philip Knappenberger, Jr. (1800-1884) of Lehigh County, PA. He served in the US Armed Forces during the Philippine Campaign as a member of Company I, 38th US Volunteer Infantry under the command of Captain Allen. His obituary stated, ” He was a good soldier and enjoyed the highest respect of his comrades.”
MEXICAN EXPEDITION OF 1916
CLAUDE HARRISON KNAPPENBERGER (1893-1972)
Claude was born 20 June 1893 and died June 1972 in Lehigh County, PA. He was the son of Edwin Knappenberger (1874-1920) and the grandson of Harrison Knappenberger (1838-1886). In this call up to service, Claude enlisted July 8, 1916 into the 4th Infantry as a Private. The records indicate at the time of his enlistment, he was living and working as a baker in Allentown, PA.
COLD WAR YEARS (mid 1940s to early 1970s)
DEAN FRANCIS KNAPPENBERGER (1934-2006)
Dean Francis Knappenberger was born 11 November 1934 in Williams County, Ohio and died 6 April 2006 in Maricopa County, Arizona. He served in the US Navy from 1954-1958 on the USS Los Angeles as a Seaman with the Second Division. Dean was the son of Ernest Elmer Knappenberger (1899-1972) and grandson of William Jeremiah Knappenberger (1857-1945).
JOHN GEORGE KNAPPENBERGER (born 1938)
John George was born 3 December 1938 in Cincinnati, Ohio. John is the son of Cleo Walter Knappenberger (1908-1986) and grandson of George Harvey Knappenberger (1883-1960). He served four years in the US Navy from September 1958 to September 1962. During this time, he spent three years aboard the USS Essex which was in support of the rebels during the ill fated Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. John George Knappenberger is the great-great-grandson of Johan Georg Knappenberger who immigrated from Wuerttemberg, Germany to Crawford County, Ohio about 1847.
LELAND FRANCIS KNUPPENBURG II (1945-2006)
Leland Francis known as Lee was born 4 March 1945 1945 and died 9 March 2006 in Dryden, New York. He joined the US Army and was with the 3rd Armored Division from 1961 to 1965. Lee was in Germany during Operation Big Life and guarded President Kennedy when he visited Germany. Lee was a marksman and drove tanks. He was the son of Leland Francis Knuppenburg I and grandson of Myron James Knuppenburg, Sr.
KIRK RANDALL KNAPPENBERGER (born 1960)
Kirk joined the Air Force in 1979 as part of the Air Force Security Police. His first duty assignment was at Malmstrom Air Base in Great Falls, Montana. He then was stationed at Ramstein Air Force base in Germany and then back to Malmstrom. He served for 13 years until 1993 and was an E-5 Staff Sergeant. Kirk is the son of Albert Augustus Knappenberger, Jr. and grandson of Albert Augustus Knappenberger, Sr. He descends from Conrad Knappenberger.