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It has become a regular Jour- nal feature to tell the stories of the heroes among us, the
But if you know someone you suspect has a story, do something. Preserve their story so it can inspire all of us. We wish someone had done that for Dick, for us. We are certain that Dick was in combat, that he had a story, but it would be nice to be sure we have the story right. It would be nice to have some detail.
stories of Fellows who wore the uniform, who fought and bled to keep us all safe. This is one of those stories. If you have one, please share it with us . . .
HEROES AMONG US
RICHARD ALLEN KNUDSEN
AND
TIMOTHY ROBERT MCCORMICK
RICHARD ALLEN KNUDSEN, ‘70, passed away May 5, 2023 after ninety-eight years of life. Dick graduated from high school in 1943 and enrolled at the University of Nebraska but cut that short to serve in combat during World War II in the 69th Infantry Division. He returned to Nebraska to earn his BA in 1948 and his LLB in 1950. Dick married Sally Stebbins in 1949. He served as President of the Lincoln Bar Association, Chairman of the Nebraska State Bar and Nebraska Bar Association President. Dick was predeceased by Sally and a child but survived by two children.
You’ll see this brief memorial to Dick in the In Memoriams at p. 61 below. Brief, because this is pretty much all we know. What a shame. We bet he had some stories to share.
Here’s the thing. People who have served in and survived war almost without exception don’t talk about it. Ask me about my military experience, and I’ll talk your ear off. But that’s because the most dangerous place I ever served was Louisiana. Ask someone who served, actually served, in Vietnam or Korea or Iraq or Afghanistan or World War II, and I suspect you’ll get reticence – heroes, real heroes, don’t talk about it.
We know that after basic training Dick Knudsen was assigned to the 10th Mountain Divi- sion and trained at Vail, Colorado. The 10th was initially formed to fight in the Alps and other mountainous areas of Europe, but Dick’s unit was stationed in the Aleutian Islands as a defense to a possible Japanese invasion through Alaska; Dick described it as “defending a rock.” Dick tried for a transfer to the Army Air Corps but instead was transferred to the 69th Infantry Division. He was in the third wave at Normandy. He operated a howitzer.
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