Cpl. Lloyd W. Knapp      

 

Mil# 20132980

Enlisted:

 HQ-Company 643rd TD BN.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Born: 6 April 1919    Place: Vista, NY

Died: 5 April 1943      Place: Camp Hood, TX

Buriel place: Miltown Cemetery, Brewster, NY

 

 

Father: Alonzo G. Knapp  Mother: Ruby M. Knapp (West)

Siblings: Alonzo Jr.

 

 

 

 

Info Article: Honor Norwalk CT Veterans - Cpl. Lloyd W. Knapp

Lloyd was killed while escorting a prisoner at Camp Hood, Texas.

Roy A. Prentiss from Winsted, Connecticut, was being escorted by Corporal Knapp when he took Knapp’s gun, shot him dead, then shot himself in the head but survived. He was sentenced to death by hanging in a court martial on July 8, 1943.

On April 5, 1943, Lloyd Knapp was stationed at Camp Hood (now Fort Hood) in Texas. He lived in Brewster, New York, and was in the Army at that time. He was an MP at the camp and was in charge of base security, etc., as all the other MPs were. One night, some sort of infraction happened there involving Roy A. Prentiss, also in the Army from Winsted, Connecticut. A security vehicle was called, maybe to transport Prentiss from wherever he was to the brig. There was an MP driver, and Lloyd was the MP to take charge of Prentiss. At some point in the commute, Prentiss struggled with Lloyd in the back of the vehicle. Prentiss removed Lloyd’s side arm and shot Lloyd point blank, killing him instantly. Prentiss then instructed the driver to stop the vehicle. As the vehicle was pulling over, Prentiss pointed the gun at the driver.. the vehicle stopped, at which point Prentiss turned the gun on himself, shooting himself in the head. He remained in a coma at the base hospital for several weeks, and when he regained consciousness, he was charged with murder. It was also learned at that time that the bullet had blinded him. Sometime later, a court martial was convened, and based on the testimony of the driver, Prentiss was found guilty and scheduled to be executed. President Roosevelt has commuted to life imprisonment the death sentence of Private Roy A Prentiss. Roy Prentiss died in 1979

Story: Jeffrey DeWitt 

 

Lloyd's gravemarker on Miltown Cemetery

 

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