TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO-WAWV) — David Knudson needed help with some leaves on his pool, and his father volunteered to help.
“So my father is 104 and he wanted something to do, so here you go, said David Knudson. God I love him so much, now I know where I get it.”
Knudson was born in 1920 in Illinois and moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin where he spent most of
his life.
In 1942, he was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps and was sent to North Africa. His job was siting and photographing bombing targets on B-24 bombers. He flew many missions, all of them dangerous, but very important.
“We were doing something to save the world,” said Knudson.
From the airfields North Africa, his bombing groups carried out missions over Nazi controlled
areas in southern and central Europe.
“I was scared to death, said Knudson. You accepted it, it was part of your life.”
The letters he wrote and received from home were a big help, especially from one certain
Wisconsin girl.
“I don’t know how deep it was at the time,” said Knudson.
But he agreed, it gave him something to fight for.
His photographs are simply incredible. There are pictures of planes, airfields, and high altitude missions. Knudson also snapped photos of military life, showing what U.S. service personnel were doing to prepare for missions and how they had some fun.
He also took photos of important military leaders and even famous people, like actor
Humphrey Bogart when he visited Casablanca.
When the war in Europe ended, Knudson was told to prepare to deployment to Japan.
Fortunately for him, the atomic bombs on Japan ended the war and Knudson headed home.
Once back in Wisconsin, he married that young lady who sent him letters.
Emerald and Mary raised four children and had a good life in Wisconsin, where he ran a farm,
and delivered milk and fuel oil for many years.
He was also a Packers season ticket holder who attended the famous Ice Bowl game in 1967
between the Cowboys and Packers. The coldest game in NFL history had an air temperature
of 15 below and a wind chill of 48 below zero.
“They might have won, but it was cold, jeez,” said Knudson.
After Mary passed away, Emerald moved to a Terre Haute retirement home close to his son
who served many years in the military and his last assignment was in Terre Haute.
And on a cool day in November, the two men were doing what Packers fans do on a Sunday in
the fall, they were watching the Packers beat the Bears.
Emerald Knudson has had a good life and he continues to enjoy each day.>>
