Knowlten, Henry R. Jr.

Description

Henry “Randolph” Knowlton

Henry “Randolph” Knowlton was born on November 13, 1921, in New York City, New York, to Gladys B. Perry, age 30, and Henry Randolph Knowlton, age 27. He had one brother Perry and a sister Betty. In Rye his family lived at 14 Mendota Ave and were members of Christ’s Church.

Randolph graduate of Hotchkiss School, he also attended Vale University and earned letters in football and hockey.

Randolph served as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. enlisted in the Army on February 10, 1941, in New York City, New York, when he was 19 years old.

He originally served in the Army at Camp Stewart, Ga., with the Coast Artillery. He transferred to the Air Corps and completed his basic training at Santa Maria, Calif, and Lemoore Army Flying School, Lemoore, Calif.

Aviation Cadet Henry Randolph Knowlton was commissioned a second lieutenant and flight officer in the Air Force Reserve following his graduation from the Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School at Yuma, Arizona.

He served as a pilot of B-29’s. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was an American four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown by the United States during World War II. It was primarily deployed in the pacific and used for the bombing of strategic targets on the Japanese home islands.

After five years of service Randolph worked for the California-Texas Oil Co. in Bombay India, for three years.

He married married Maureen Winifred Sheila Cazalet on September 23, 1947, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. They had two children during their marriage. He then married Gerd Bendt on September 27, 1956, in Winchester, Virginia.

Henry Randolph Knowlton died on May 4, 1978, in Wichita Falls, Texas, when he was 56 years old.