The assistant supply officer (S4) for 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in 2003, Major Karl Knapp was "in charge of basically coordinating everything for the S4 shop between the battalions and any of the involved separate companies. My primary duty was ensuring all our needed equipment was received and that we had all the money we needed." Other duties included being responsible for a variety of transportation issues, both to and from theater. In this first of two interviews reference his two separate OIF deployments, Knapp discusses his role in supporting regimental offensive operations during the major combat phase of OIF, his experiences as a convoy commander, the constant challenge that distance considerations posed, and what he reports as a solid "war mentality" among his superiors who told him to, "'Give everybody what they need, take it, do with it what you will, and if you have it when you get back, great. If not, don't worry about it.'" Knapp talks about some critical shortages experienced in terms of food, ammunition and medical supplies, and relates that while cannibalization of vehicles for much needed replacement parts was not technically authorized, "it became the norm vice everything else." As he put it, the unofficial message was, "If you lost a vehicle and you couldn't tow it, strip it." Making it to Baghdad being the ultimate and most important goal, the regiment was going to do so "come hell or high water" and by whatever means necessary.

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