E. Henry Knoche

Knoche attended Mt. Lebanon School District, where he played basketball and tennis, winning a Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League doubles championship.[2] In 1942, he enrolled in Washington & Jefferson College, playing baseball and the freshman basketball team. He then enlisted in the United States Navy to serve in World War II in 1943.[2] Later, he attended Bethany College, again playing basketball and leading the team in scoring.[2] He then attended University of Colorado, where he led his basketball team to the 1946 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and played baseball.[2] Following his discharge from the military, he returned to W&J to complete his degree, graduating in 1947.[2] He then played for 2 years in the professional National Industrial Basketball League, leading his team in scoring both years.[2] He was drafted by the failing Pittsburgh Ironmen in the 1947 BAA Draft.[3][nb 1] When his contract was then sold to the New York Knicks, Knoche demanded $2,500 (equivalent to $28,600 in 2019) to play for the team, a demand that was not met.[3][4]

He served in the United States Navy as a Navy intelligence officer, in World War II, and the Korean War.[4]

He joined the CIA in 1953 as an analyst; he was fluent in Russian and the Fuzhou dialect.[4] During the Cuban Missile Crisis, he briefed President John F. Kennedy.[4] Even though he lacked the typical CIA resume, as having never served in operational capacity or in the clandestine operations, he was steadily promoted through the agency's ranks.[4] On July 7, 1976 he became deputy director, serving under director George H.W. Bush.[4] In that position, he was responsible for day-to-day agency operations.[4]

On January 12, 1977, he was honored as a recipient of the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service. Presentation of the award was made in the East Room of the White House by Vice President Nelson Rockefeller.[5]

Upon Bush's resignation from the CIA with the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter on January 20, 1977, Knoche became acting director.[4] That day, he briefed Carter on the agency's ongoing clandestine operations.[4] On January 21, 1977, he met with the president and delivered photo intelligence from Aerospace Data Facility-East.[6] His term as acting director ended when Stansfield Turner was confirmed as director of the CIA on March 9, 1977.[4]

Knoche retired on August 1, 1977. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.[4]

He married Angie Papoulas in 1947; they had five sons.[4]