My grandfather, Gail Raymond Knapp, was born August 15th, 1933 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was the only child of Bert A. Knapp and Violet J. Barker-Knapp. The lived in Regina until October 1st, 1942, when they crossed the border into Eastport, Idaho and moved to Seattle, Washington.
While attending Cleveland High School in Seattle, Gail was very active in tennis, the Boys Club, the Hi-Flyers, Entre Nous Tres Language Club, and was a gold seal member of the Torch Club. He also was in the marching band with his high school sweetheart, Anna Jean.
He graduated from Cleveland High School in 1951 and went on to attend the University of Washington before enlisting in the United States Air Force in June 1952. On November 3rd, 1952, he married Anna Jean in King County, Washington. He had 3 sons and 1 daughter (my mother). He served as a pharmacy technician in the USAF and was stationed in (that I have record of) Mississippi, Washington, Japan, France, and California. He had a second wife, Jeanne that I know very little about.
MSGT Gail Raymond Knapp passed away in a car accident on February 8th, 1989 in Lewiston, California and was put to rest in the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon on Valentine's Day.
I wish I knew more about my grandfather, but he died when I was 3 years old, and the majority of what I know about him is based off of old documents and photographs. Having not known him, I was overjoyed to read a letter from his second wife that said he had "tears in his eyes" when he heard of my birth.
While attending Cleveland High School in Seattle, Gail was very active in tennis, the Boys Club, the Hi-Flyers, Entre Nous Tres Language Club, and was a gold seal member of the Torch Club. He also was in the marching band with his high school sweetheart, Anna Jean.
He graduated from Cleveland High School in 1951 and went on to attend the University of Washington before enlisting in the United States Air Force in June 1952. On November 3rd, 1952, he married Anna Jean in King County, Washington. He had 3 sons and 1 daughter (my mother). He served as a pharmacy technician in the USAF and was stationed in (that I have record of) Mississippi, Washington, Japan, France, and California. He had a second wife, Jeanne that I know very little about.
MSGT Gail Raymond Knapp passed away in a car accident on February 8th, 1989 in Lewiston, California and was put to rest in the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon on Valentine's Day.
I wish I knew more about my grandfather, but he died when I was 3 years old, and the majority of what I know about him is based off of old documents and photographs. Having not known him, I was overjoyed to read a letter from his second wife that said he had "tears in his eyes" when he heard of my birth.
My grandfather, Gail Raymond Knapp, was born August 15th, 1933 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was the only child of Bert A. Knapp and Violet J. Barker-Knapp. The lived in Regina until October 1st, 1942, when they crossed the border into Eastport, Idaho and moved to Seattle, Washington.
While attending Cleveland High School in Seattle, Gail was very active in tennis, the Boys Club, the Hi-Flyers, Entre Nous Tres Language Club, and was a gold seal member of the Torch Club. He also was in the marching band with his high school sweetheart, Anna Jean.
He graduated from Cleveland High School in 1951 and went on to attend the University of Washington before enlisting in the United States Air Force in June 1952. On November 3rd, 1952, he married Anna Jean in King County, Washington. He had 3 sons and 1 daughter (my mother). He served as a pharmacy technician in the USAF and was stationed in (that I have record of) Mississippi, Washington, Japan, France, and California. He had a second wife, Jeanne that I know very little about.
MSGT Gail Raymond Knapp passed away in a car accident on February 8th, 1989 in Lewiston, California and was put to rest in the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon on Valentine's Day.
I wish I knew more about my grandfather, but he died when I was 3 years old, and the majority of what I know about him is based off of old documents and photographs. Having not known him, I was overjoyed to read a letter from his second wife that said he had "tears in his eyes" when he heard of my birth.
While attending Cleveland High School in Seattle, Gail was very active in tennis, the Boys Club, the Hi-Flyers, Entre Nous Tres Language Club, and was a gold seal member of the Torch Club. He also was in the marching band with his high school sweetheart, Anna Jean.
He graduated from Cleveland High School in 1951 and went on to attend the University of Washington before enlisting in the United States Air Force in June 1952. On November 3rd, 1952, he married Anna Jean in King County, Washington. He had 3 sons and 1 daughter (my mother). He served as a pharmacy technician in the USAF and was stationed in (that I have record of) Mississippi, Washington, Japan, France, and California. He had a second wife, Jeanne that I know very little about.
MSGT Gail Raymond Knapp passed away in a car accident on February 8th, 1989 in Lewiston, California and was put to rest in the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon on Valentine's Day.
I wish I knew more about my grandfather, but he died when I was 3 years old, and the majority of what I know about him is based off of old documents and photographs. Having not known him, I was overjoyed to read a letter from his second wife that said he had "tears in his eyes" when he heard of my birth.
Inscription
GAIL RAYMOND KNAPP
MSGT US AIR FORCE
KOREA-VIETNAM
AUG 15 1933 FEB 8 1989
