Clayton Knutson was born December 17, 1942 in Warren, Minnesota to Obin and Mable Knutson. He grew up in Warren and then Bagley, graduating from Bagley High School in 1960. 

Clayton entered the US Air Force in January of 1961 and was sent to Lackland Air Force Base for basic training. He then attended Armament and Munitions Maintenance for F-102 aircraft at Zaragoza, Air Base, Spain from May, 1961 to January of 1963, with two months of schooling on Electrical Fundamentals for F-102 aircraft in July and August of 1961 at Torreton Air Base in Spain. He spent June of 1964 through January of 1965 at George AFB in California learning Armament and Munition Maintenance for F-4 aircraft. He received an honorable discharge in January of 1965.

In June of 1974 Clayton enlisted in the Air Force Reserve as a Loadmaster.  He was sent to Travis Air Force Base in California to learn the trade on C-5 aircraft.  Then he was sent to Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas from September to October, 1974 to learn basic Loadmaster.  Then he was on to Altus AFB in Oklahoma in November and December of 1974 to learn Loadmaster transition to C-5 aircraft. In January and February of 1975 he learned aircrew survival and in March and April of 1975 learned water survival at Holmstead AFB in Florida. Every three years from 1975 to 1987 he underwent physiological training at Beale AFB, California, Castle AFB, California and Buckley, Colorado. He was a Loadmaster until 1990 when he became a liaison for the Civil Air Patrol until 1992. 

Clayton retired from the Air Force Reserve in May of 1992. He presently lives in Bagley.

Plot: 4    Side:  East       Row from Bottom: 1

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