Daniel Jesse Knapp was born August 10, 1918 in Walton, NY to Jesse L. Knapp (1894-1970) and Olive F. Finch (1897-1985). Jessie and Olive were married August 26, 1916 in Roxbury, NY. Daniel's family moved around a bit during his childhood before settling in Laurens, NY a small village just outside Oneonta. His father was a farmer. Daniel was the oldest of 7 boys which included Harry, June, Frank, Burton, Hugh, Jack and Lewis.

He married Mildred L.Van Hoesen on January 6, 1936 in Oneonta, NY. Mildred's father, Benjamin, worked for the local railroad. They had a son, Robert Daniel. The 1940 US Census recorded that Daniel had completed one year of High School (likely at Bainbridge High School) and that he was a farm laborer. He worked all 52 weeks in 1939 and made $420 that year.

He enlisted in the service on September 16, 1940 in Utica, NY with service number was 12003310. He did his training at Camp Devens, Mass. and spent time stationed in Puerto Rico before being sent overseas to North Africa with the 18th Infantry. He served in North Africa and Sicily before being sent to Dorchester, England to prepare for the D-Day invasion of France. While at La Macta Forest, Algeria, in June 1943 he was promoted from Pfc to T/5.

The 18th Infantry Regiment had a long and distinguished combat record during WWII. By all accounts, Sgt. Knapp did his share to uphold their reputation. For his heroic action in North Africa and Europe between Nov. 8, 1942 and June 6, 1944 he is awarded the Bronze Star. The citation reads, “The skill, ingenuity, and dependability with which Sergeant Knapp performed his duties as automotive mechanic contributed immeasurably to the efficiency of his organization's transportation throughout the North African and Sicilian campaigns and during the preparatory stages of the invasion.” (Normandy)

Sgt. Knapp is killed on June 8, just two days after the D-Day invasion near Mandeville, Normandy, France. His Silver Star award reads, “When an enemy patrol penetrated his battalion's motor pool, Sergeant Knapp advanced and fired upon the group until his ammunition was expended. Refusing to seek cover, he courageously charged the foe and, although mortally wounded, forced his assailants to withdraw.”

He was initially buried on June 8, very near where he fell in the Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France, Plot I, Row 27, Grave 34. Later, during the government's body recovery program at the wishes of his wife, he was permanently interred in the St. Laurent, France Cemetery, Plot A, Row 4, Grave 69. He was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and French Croix de Guerre and the Combat and Expert Infantryman Badge. His mother, Jesse, from West Oneonta, NY received a memorial certificate signed by Pres. Roosevelt and his Purple Heart. She had another son, Eugene that also served in Italy during the war. His wife Mildred lived until she was 93 and finally passes peacefully in October of 2010. Her obituary notes she “lost her husband, Danny Knapp, killed in action during the Normandy Invasion, France”.

Author's Note: The disposition of Sgt. Knapp's remains were the source of tension between his parents and his wife. His wife remained adamant that his remains be left overseas as “it was his last request.” His parents tried repeatedly to have their son's remains brought home to no avail. It should be remembered that his wife was the recognized next of kin.

If you notice anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact me at nez13820 at gmail dot com or feedback@storiesbehindthestars.org.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (http://storiesbehindthestars.org) This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen.. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smart phone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

SBTS Project/New York /Otsego

Sources:

Allied Forces. Army Group, 12Th. Engineer Section, and 1St. Headquarters United States Army. Army Group. June 6, HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map. [England?: Twelfth Army Group, 1944] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2004629028/.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55903422/daniel-j-knapp: accessed 05 December 2022), memorial page for TEC4 Daniel J Knapp (10 Aug 1918–7 Jun 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 55903422, citing Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France; Maintained by Frogman (contributor 47380828) .

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92281446/jessie-l-knapp: accessed 06 December 2022), memorial page for Jessie L Knapp (1894–1970), Find a Grave Memorial ID 92281446, citing Laurens Village Cemetery, Laurens, Otsego County, New York, USA; Maintained by Janecb (contributor 47387603) .

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92281472/olive-f-knapp: accessed 06 December 2022), memorial page for Olive F Knapp (1897–14 Oct 1985), Find a Grave Memorial ID 92281472, citing Laurens Village Cemetery, Laurens, Otsego County, New York, USA; Maintained by Janecb (contributor 47387603) .

“Former Resident Killed in France June 7”, The Bainbridge News, July 13, 1944, pg. 1, accessed at https://fultonhistory.com/Fulton.htm, January 5, 2023.

Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note: Enumeration Districts 819-839 are on roll 323 (Chicago City).

“Honored as Hero”, Oneonta Herald, July 12, 1945

Individual Deceased Personnel File for Sgt. Daniel Knapp, 12003310, National Archives, St. Louis, MI.

Knickerbocker, H.R., et al., Danger Forward, The Story of the First Division in World War II, United States Army, Society of the First Division, Washington, D.C. 1947

Mildred Knapp Obituary, Albany Times Union, Oct. 20, 2010, accessed at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/timesunion-albany/name/mildred-knapp-obituary?id=4964854&fbclid=IwAR2hIPD1EX2H_1qpgvKe0MjQ3JfdVNAS8A8l7yzR8Qbl9XAkcl6IL3D76oY, January 5, 2023.

“Mother Receives Son's Purple Heart Medal”, Otsego Farmer, October 20, 1944.

New York State Department of Health; Albany, NY, USA; New York State Marriage Index

“Sergt. Daniel J. Knapp of West Laurens Killed; 3 Wounded, One Missing”, The Binghamton Press, Friday Evening, July 7, 1944, pg. 3

“Sergeant Daniel Knapp Killed”, The Bainbridge News and Bainbridge Republican, Bainbridge, NY, pg. 2, accessed at https://fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html, January 4, 2023.

United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.

U.S. WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954, service number look up, 12003310, accessed via FOLD3 at https://www.fold3.com/record/704053683/knapp-daniel-jesse-us-wwii-hospital-admission-card-files-1942-1954, December 29, 2022.

U.S. WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954, service number look up, 12003310, accessed via FOLD3 at https://www.fold3.com/record/704053684/knapp-daniel-jesse-us-wwii-hospital-admission-card-files-1942-1954, December 29, 2022.

“West Laurens Man Killed in France”, The Otsego Republican, Cooperstown, NY, pg. 1.

"World War II Army Enlistment Records" database with images Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/831/wwii-army-enlistment-records: accessed December 5, 2022)

Supporting Files