FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Alton W. Knappenberger ~ July 22, 2013

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

Alton W. Knappenberger

Info from this website and also here.

           

Alton Knappenberger was working on a Pennsylvania pig farm when he was drafted in 1943 at the age of nineteen. He landed at Anzio, on the Italian coast, on January 22, 1944, as part of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, and although he did not know it at the time, he was about to become engaged in one of the toughest combat actions of World War II. “Knappie,” as his friends called him, was surprised by how little resistance the Germans initially offered. But as his unit slowly pushed inland over the next few days, he could sense that the enemy was regrouping. It rained constantly. He never forgot the mud; it was so thick and viscous that he worried it might suck off his boots.

On February 1, as Private First Class Knappenberger’s battalion neared the small town of Cisterna di Littoria, the Germans launched a strong counterattack with tanks and artillery that nearly overwhelmed the U.S. force. It was the Germans’ intent to push the Americans into the sea. With American soldiers taking heavy casualties all around him, Knappenberger crawled to a rise so that he could see the enemy. A German machine gun about eighty yards away opened fire, its slugs hitting right in front of Knappenberger and kicking mud into his face. He scrambled to a Browning Automatic Rifle lying beside one of his dead comrades, stood up, and aimed a burst at the machine gun, killing the three Germans operating it. Two Germans crawled to a point within twenty yards of Knappenberger’s knoll and threw potato masher grenades at him. Knappenberger wheeled and killed them both with one burst from his automatic rifle.

He was moving forward when a second German machine gun opened fire from a range of a hundred yards. Knappenberger silenced it with the BAR. Shortly afterward, a German 20 mm antiaircraft gun directed fire at his unit. He took out the German position with his BAR. For the next two hours, Knappenberger single-handedly held off the enemy infantry, which was threatening the efforts of the U.S. force to organize a defense. When he ran low on ammunition, he crawled through heavy fire to the body of another fallen American and grabbed clips from his pack. He resumed firing and repelled a German platoon armed with automatic weapons. Despite heavy fire, shells bursting within fifteen yards of him, he held his precarious position while continuing to fire at the enemy. Finally, his ammunition supply completely exhausted, he rejoined his company, having disrupted the enemy attack for more than two hours. Only six men out of his company of two hundred had not been killed or wounded.

Over the next few weeks, the breakout from Anzio stalled and developed into a stalemate between Allied and German forces as each regrouped. Knappenberger was in a foxhole not far from where the February action had occurred when he was informed that he was to receive the Medal of Honor. It was presented to him on June 8, 1944, by General Mark Clark, commander of the 5th Army, with American troops looking on and the regimental band playing. Soon therafter, Knappenberger was sent home and traveled around the country telling his story as part of a war bond drive. After the war, he returned home to Pennsylvania and worked as a truck driver and supervisor of an asphalting crew.

The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor

to

    KNAPPENBERGER, ALTON W.

    Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, 3d Infantry Division.
    Place and date: Near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, 1 February 1944.
    Entered service at: Spring Mount, Pa.
    Birth: Cooperstown, Pa. G.O. No.: 41, 26 May 1944.

    Citation:

    For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action involving actual conflict with the enemy, on 1 February 1944 near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy. When a heavy German counterattack was launched against his battalion, Pfc. Knappenberger crawled to an exposed knoll and went into position with his automatic rifle. An enemy machinegun 85 yards away opened fire, and bullets struck within 6 inches of him. Rising to a kneeling position, Pfc. Knappenberger opened fire on the hostile crew, knocked out the gun, killed 2 members of the crew, and wounded the third. While he fired at this hostile position, 2 Germans crawled to a point within 20 yards of the knoll and threw potato-masher grenades at him, but Pfc. Knappenberger killed them both with 1 burst from his automatic rifle. Later, a second machinegun opened fire upon his exposed position from a distance of 100 yards, and this weapon also was silenced by his well-aimed shots. Shortly thereafter, an enemy 20mm. antiaircraft gun directed fire at him, and again Pfc. Knappenberger returned fire to wound 1 member of the hostile crew. Under tank and artillery shellfire, with shells bursting within 15 yards of him, he held his precarious position and fired at all enemy infantrymen armed with machine pistols and machineguns which he could locate. When his ammunition supply became exhausted, he crawled 15 yards forward through steady machinegun fire, removed rifle clips from the belt of a casualty, returned to his position and resumed firing to repel an assaulting German platoon armed with automatic weapons. Finally, his ammunition supply being completely exhausted, he rejoined his company. Pfc. Knappenberger's intrepid action disrupted the enemy attack for over 2 hours.

Lots more to read about this hero here.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[ConorMacNessa]

Good Morning To Our Valiant Troops, To Our Vets, To Our Families, Our FRiends, Our Allies And To All Canteen Denizens!

Godspeed our Troops around the Globe, especially those in combat!


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GOOD MORNING!
Some People Wake Up, Stretch and Enjoy Freedom -
Some People Wake Up, Stretch and Defend It!

May The Lord Protect And Uphold Our Troops In Their Vital Mission!

May He Keep Safe Their Families During Their Time Of Separation!

May He Preserve And Uphold The American Nation In This Time Of Adversity!

"Riamh nár dhruid ó sbairn lann!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[MEG33]

Happy Monday To The Canteen

I Wish You A Great Week
My Navy Grandson and his wife will be coming home on
leave this week..
I will be resting my back and getting ready for a
visit...and will be mostly absent on the computer.
*Thank You To All Who Serve Our Country*

[E.G.C.]

Monday Morning Coffee Bump.

((HUGS))Good morning, MEG33. How's it going?

[left that other site]

I am SO looking forward to that!

I am so aPassionate about them you might think I am a Pathetique LUNAtic!

[luvie]

Umpfh!
It's too early
...and it's too Monday!
Hope you Early Birds are
bright eyed and bushy-tailed!
It'll get ya through the day!
...that and gallons of coffee/tea!
Have a good 'un!
((((hugs))))
[Megs, we'll miss ya...have FUN!]

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning to everyone at the Canteen. 96º is the forecast high today. Better get my walk in early.

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning ladies and (((HUGS))).

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, LUV W. How’s it going?

[luvie]

Sure hate for the heat to come roaring back. Try to stay cool! (((hugs)))

[MEG33]

I’ll miss you all, too.
Gotta get my back ready/ stay off the computer..LOL

I am really looking forward to seeing my grandson and his wife.
(((HUGS)))

[MEG33]

(((HUGS)))

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Canteen.

Good morning to our

Military, our Allies, and their families.

Thank you, Star, for preparing the Canteen for today’s activities.
I do believe that Knappenberger
had an angel with him through it all.

DC Metroland weather report

~ Today...Cloudy skies this morning
followed by scattered showers and
thunderstorms during the afternoon.
Humid. High 87F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Chance of rain 40%.

~ Tonight...Scattered thunderstorms,
especially during the evening.
Low around 75F. Winds light and variable.
Chance of rain 40%.

Happy to report that we are much cooler this morning.
We got much needed rain yesterday afternoon.
But it's still muggy.
I keep reminding myself that it is July,
moving into August.

Gotta make my rounds.

But please stay right where you are.
Chat up the military or a family member.
No need to fret...you know I'll be back!

The FR Canteen is

Come in and sit for a while.
There's always plenty of coffee, tea,
pancakes, conversation, silliness,
and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM ~ DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

BEZOLD, STEVEN NEIL
10/29/1968
North Vietnam
Presumptive Finding of Death

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before.

[PROCON]

In before Beachie Ping!

Weekend went too fast as usual, sonboy may be arriving next week, hope so!

OK, I'm behind schedule, better grab some joe and hit it...

Have a Marvelous M*nd%y!

[PROCON]

Dang it, you beat me :-)

[beachn4fun]

Whew! we were neck-n-neck.

Good morning Pro ((HUGS))

Sorry I missed you on Friday. Hope your weekend (yes, they do go quickly don’t they?) was good. Oh boy, son-boy is coming for a visit? What are you planning? Couch competition? Or going somewhere?

Have a monsterously, magnificently, marvelicious Monday.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning dear ((HUGS))

How was your weekend?

Went for my walk early and didn’t sweat a full bucket, either.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning Meg ((HUGS))

Woo Hoo...enjoy your visit with grandson and wife.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning night owl ((HUGS))

Yup, it’s true...it’s Monday...again.

Open them eyes and get ready for work. LOL

[MEG33]

Thank you!
(((HUGS))))

[luvie]

Im dressed..but I’m not ready! :)

Have a great day, Early Bird!