Missing 60 years, World War II hero buried with honors
By Dolly A. Butz Journal staff writer
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Staff Sgt. Walter Knudsen, a World War II B-24 gunnery instructor from Sioux City was praised as an American hero at a graveside ceremony with full military honors Saturday at Memorial Park Cemetery.
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We should remember the cost in blood and treasure of all these men and women. Personally, before we dedicate buildings and name streets for politicians, we should have then named for our honored dead. Where is "Walter Knudsen" avenue? In the government skools in Iowa, they should teach about Walter Knudsen. At least, the students would learn that freedom has a price.
Reinke Faces Life 
December 17, 2007:
I publicly want to praise and recognize my Super Sister Terri Knudsen. She is an extremely successful woman. She is my sister and my heroine and I love her. She was the nation’s first woman mine foreman and would have been the second woman on the space shuttle (Challenger). But I think one of her greatest achievements has to be the instrumental role she effected in facilitating a Reaganesque funeral for the (nine member) crew of the ‘Five by Five’.
Thank you Super Sister. Love you. Miss you. Happy Birthday (which is Dec. 23, 2007)
Love Always
Your Little Brother
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And, I’m not even from IOWA. :-) I have very little use for politicians, especially when they name everything and anything for themselves. I was very serious that we don’t understand at a visceral level what sacrifices we ask people to make. In the case of politicians, I think they get an awful lot for a very modest effort. I seriously think that before we name another thing for any politicians, that we put those that made the ultimate sacrifice ahead of them. Again it’s just my opinion, but as I said, every child who walks down Knudsen Avenue would know that someone paid a very high price for their privilege to walk down that street. Maybe then we’d be just a tad less quick to put “our” boys and girls in harm’s way. If there needs to be anyone put in harm’s way, we seem to have an ample supply of politicians and would be politicians whom we can “spare”. I think even if we picked a few at random to go, like jury duty, we might change their behavior dramatically. I thank you for your uncle, and honor the sacrifice of all the aunts and uncles out there who make it possible for us to have this conversation. God Bless, and GBA!
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Thank you for so very much for your kind words and thoughts for an avenue to be named after my uncle, SSgt Walter “Daisy” Knudsen. What an incredible tribute it would be to have an avenue named after our fallen heros and indeed a lesson on values. Families would look up when they would see the soldier’s name on a sign and say, ‘…my home town showed their gratitude and respect like no other town…’ . I think it is quite a lesson for our youth and for those serving today, that the fallen are not forgotten and having paid the ultimate price of losing your life in a war under extraordinary conditions/circumstances is a sacrifice a community recognizes — a hallmark of midwest values. I am so PROUD of Sioux City, the community at large, and Iowa for the tremendous participation at the funeral procession, graveside attendance, through letters, and gift memorials. It deeply moved us, and touched us in a way that words will never be able to express. Only in Iowa, my family’s home state, the Heartland of America would such an incredible tribute be possible ! Your comment herein reflects exactly what I am talking about. THANK YOU SIR for your words and thoughts! Walter is finally home after 61 long years from the faraway and forbidding tropical jungles of Papua New Guinea, where more WWII secrets are waiting to be discovered.
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