321st Bomb Group, Gen. Robert D Knapp

Robert Duane Knapp, Jr. (December 26, 1897 – April 25, 1994) was a Brigadier General in the United States Air Force and an aviation pioneer. He held United States pilot license #185 and led the first Allied aerial attack on Rome in World War II. Knapp received a Silver Star for leading an unescorted bombing raid on a fighter-defended Axis convoy in 1944. After the United States entered World War II in 1941, Knapp organized six bombardier groups, trained three of them, and took command of one, the 321st Bombardment Group. The 321st was assigned to North Africa, flying raids against Axis forces in B-25 Mitchell bombers. In July 1943, Knapp's 321st launched the first full-scale US bombing raid on an Axis capital with Knapp flying the lead plane in an attack on Rome. In 1944, Knapp led an attack—without fighter escort—on an Axis shipping convoy that had fighter protection. For that attack, Knapp was awarded a Silver Star. Later in 1944, Knapp was promoted to brigadier general and given command of the 57th Bomb Wing, a position he held for the remainder of the war.