Pvt. James
Edward KNIGHT
|
James Knight
Hohenfels, Germany |
My father, James Edward Knight, Jr, jumped on
Corregidor with the 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat team when he was 19 years old.
I remember an old army record or communiqué when I was a child that contained that
information. He was one of the lucky wounded. Can you tell me how I can find out more
about him and about his unit, when he joined them and where he fought.
I believe his records were destroyed in the
1973 St Louis fire, but I am not sure. Where else could I find records of his service?
My father later died in 1967 when I was
twelve years old. He never talked about the war or about Corregidor. He did not like war
movies. I only knew about his army days from other people who had known him all his
life. I asked him questions about it as kid, but he did not talk too much and I guess
it was too painful for him or maybe he did not want to glorify war in my eyes. I do
not know. Corregidor left scars on my father that he never overcame. Some were on the
outside of his body but the worst ones were inside. Finding out about his past would
help me to better understand my father and to forgive him for some things he did that I
have never fully understood.
Though he had a heart of gold, he was a hard
disciplinarian and task-maker who taught me responsibility, and absolute respect for
authority and for weapons. He, I believe, was a driven, haunted, tormented and often
difficult man who worked hard from before dawn until after dark. For several years
after the War, by all accounts, all he did was drink excessively, fight regularly, drive
fast and roll cars. He met my mother in 1950-51 and settled down some. I was born in
1955 and he settled down to married life to raise a family.
My mother, grandmother and great aunt told me
stories of him often waking up in the middle of the night screaming. He had holes in the
skin on his neck from tiny slivers and fragments. My mother and great aunt told me that
steel slivers were working their way out of his skin for years after the war. I remember
one of his hands was crippled and he had a blue tattoo of a falling parachutist on one arm
and another tattoo that said "mother." Is there an organization or association
of the 503rd that I can contact. Do you have any other recommendations? Can you help me?
Please forward this email to as many people as you think may know something. I would
be forever grateful. Thank you.
Sincerely,
James Edward Knight, Jr
Staff Sergeant, US Army
MLRS Observer/Controller
Combat Maneuver Training Center (CMTC)
Hohenfels, Germany |
Bob
Flynn
|
James,
Hold on for a while and I will dig something up. I am the
historian for the 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team Association, WWII. I am in
the process of writing a newsletter for our members who number about 750. Somebody
will know something. I'll make sure that your name is on our mailing list.
Bob Flynn |
James
Knight
|
Dear Paul,
I have always thought that I was alone in this world
with my feelings about wanting to know what happened to my father. Now I know that I was
not alone. At least, I now suspect that other "Children of Corregidor" veterans
(for lack of a better term) have had some of the same feelings. I have felt that if I can
just know what happened, where he was, and if I could only find a picture of him there, if
I could only talk to some of his blood brothers in the 503d, then I feel that I would
better understand the father that I hardly knew
Though I was only
twelve when he died in 1967, I feel that I could have known him better, but he retained a
certain authoritarian distance from me. There were lines that I did not cross and I
knew where they were, so did everyone else. He may have been my friend to some extent, but
not really--he was first my father. I respected him, but I was still a child. I did not
get the latitude with him that many children are allowed today. I said Sir, and Mam,
without even thinking about it. It was part of my daily vocabulary, but then so was school
prayer, the pledge allegiance to the flag, and unashamed public singing of patriotic songs
in our grade school auditorium every Friday morning.
Many things have
changed in my life, but not the desire to know my father. I somehow feel that other
"children of Corregidor" may feel that their fathers may have reacted the same
way to war and to Corregidor or had similar psychological tendencies. My father was not
shallow. He was deep, but there were places inside my father's mind and soul that nobody
went, and nobody challenged, except my mother. I suspect that even she may have been given
boundaries.
I can only guess that
the loss of ones innocence in such a tragic way at the age of 19 years caused him to
bottle everything up inside and never really let it out. That was the way men acted back
then...I do not think that he was at all in touch with his feminine side, and I would feel
sorry for the poor bastard that told him that he had one. I only saw him really angry
a few times...that was enough. One could sense his potential at times like that.
He laughed, fished,
hunted, and drank beer with his friends, but I have, since those days, never thought
that anyone ever really knew him, not even his best friends. Somehow he always seemed to
me to be alone in himself in a way that is hard to explain. The one thing that he never
restrained was his generosity and willingness to help others that he may not even know. I
never remember him passing someone broke down on the side of the road without stopping to
ask if they needed help. I remember we went to church one Sunday and my father's white
church shirt was dirty and greasy because he stopped to help a guy change a tire while on
the way to church. Even my mother did not like it, but he just did because he thought it
was right...and that was that. He walked into church like he was early and had on a three
piece suit. I had my head down hoping nobody would see me. I understand now--I didn't
then. Things do not seem so simple these days as then.
I wonder how an
experience like Corregidor can change a young 19 year old boy so drastically. And, how was
he so compassionate, but yet so hard and so distant? There are answers to my many
questions somewhere I know, but I do not have them.
I may never get them
all answered, but I feel that I can get a little closer with your help. If this
writing strikes any cords out there, will you and please ask your buddies to let me know.
|
Bob Flynn |
Dear James
I have published your request along with your
address in a newsletter which will be sent to the 503rd membership probably during the
middle of April. I hope you get the kind of replies which you are seeking. Please keep in
touch and let me know if there is anything further we can do.
|
James Knight
to Bob Flynn |
Sir,
Thank you so much for your reply. Thank you
for publishing in your newsletter my request for help to locate those who may have known
my father in the 503d, PFC James Edward Knight. I truly appreciate your help
in locating those among your rank and file that may have known him.
I am very
interested in finding those who were closest to him and in finding all those who knew and
remember him. If I could find out what company, platoon, and squad that my father was in,
then I would take the time to research and locate those men with whom contact has been
lost over the years, and who are not on record with the association. These men may not
even know of the association's existence. I can only imagine that they may be very
appreciative of the opportunity to come together with the 503d once again.
Sir, my
wife Sandra and I have talked and we both firmly believe that the 503d PRCT Association
represents an important part of America's history and should be supported, not only
morally, but financially. Therefore, we would like ask you and the 503d leadership to
please allow us to make a rather modest 3 figure donation to the 503d PRCT Association for
the purpose furthering the membership goals and the assisting daily operations of the
association. The 503d can count on our continued support.
Please
provide us with the appropriate payable 503d Association account name and address and the
503d will receive a check from us in short order. Sandra and I wish to positively
demonstrate our sincere appreciation and commitment to you, to the 503d Association
leadership, to the 503d Association, and to all the men of the 503d who fought in WW II,
both living and deceased.
Thank you. I look forward to hearing
from you.
SSG James
E. Knight |
Bob Flynn |
Dear James and Sandra,
I am
absolutely certain that I speak for all members of this Combat Team when I say that we
have a duty to perform whatever service possible to provide the family members of our
comrades with whatever information they may need to conduct their private quest of
knowledge about a relative who has served a military experience with the 503rd Parachute
Regimental Combat Team. What I will do, if you so request, is to propose that you be made
associate members of this Association and in that capacity you may serve in any helpful
way you choose.
|
Tony
Sierra
|
Sgt,
I have tracked down your
father as follows:
He was Pvt. James E.
Knight, B Company, 503rd. I assume your father landed on south beach with the
First Battalion. The only other active trooper who might recall him is Jack Herzig.
Herzig was also in B Company, a S/Sgt at that time. It is even quite possible he
might have been his sergeant.
[email protected]
(3713 S. Geo. Mason Dr., #310-W,
Falls Church, Va 22041
Regards,
Tony Sierra |
James
Knight
|
Dear Mr.
Flynn,
I would
like to thank you and the rest of the 503d and it's leadership for extending this
great honor and opportunity to me and my wife to get to know the men of the 503d. Of
course we accept this gracious offer and we make the request to become associate members
of the 503d to the entire membership, it's leadership and as is required of us by
association rules.
Yes, I
and my wife Sandra would be greatly honored to be allowed to become associate members of
such an esteemed and historically important organization as the 503d PRCT Association and
we look forward to our nomination and are hopeful of our induction to your association.
Sandra
and I truly appreciate all those who would support a position that would allow us to be
accepted into your close-nit group of men who served their country in such an indisputably
distinguished manner, under such difficult circumstances and in such a heroic and
staunchly American manner.
We would
undoubtedly feel tremendous gratitude for such a gesture from your organization that
bestowed nothing less upon us than a great honor.
I and
Sandra look forward to getting to know each of you personally, and to thank each of you
individually, to whatever degree that God, time, and circumstance will permit. We wish to
thank you all for what you have done, and for what you have given of yourselves, and for
that that you have sacrificed, that nobody knows, that nobody sees, that no one but each
of you can individually know, and then only in your most personal and private moments
within yourselves, that only men in such circumstances can understand and share commonly
together.
With kindest regards to each of you,
SSG James
E. and Sandra Knight
(Jim & Sandra) |
Jack
Herzig |
Dear Jim
Isn't
that great that Tony Sierra was able to find your dad's name and that he was assigned to B
Co.
The bad part is that I
don't recall his name - but there is one more chance. In Louisiana is a former
member of B Co who is an avid collector of info about the 503 and airborne facts. He
and I went through jump school in the spring of 1942 (AD!) and he has a fabulous memory.
I'm going to print out our and your correspondence and send it to him for his
review and any comments that he may be able to offer to us
He is:Louis B. Aikens, Sr.,
Denham Springs LA 70726
Phone: (supplied)
He signed up again after the war and had some
fascinating airborne assignments throughout the world. We'll stay on top of this
together.
Jack Herzig |
Don
Abbott
|
Bob
Recent correspondence seems to indicate my ideas are not in the mainstream of
503rd veterans these days. I would be very surprised, however, if the majority of the
members of the association would encourage a donation on the part of SSgt Knight.
It is my feeling we
should do everything we can to help the families of veterans seeking help in getting to
know about the people who served in the 503rd, particularly if it was a father,
grandfather or uncle. I don't believe the Association coffers are in such dire straights
that we need any payment for such help.
For SSgt Knight, I would
not give up on the National Records Center in St. Louis for information on his father. I,
too, had taken these people at their word when they claimed all records had been destroyed
by the big fire a few years ago. What they failed to say was that many of the records had
been micro filmed and were still available. It took a lot of persuasion but I got copies
of some of the Morning Reports for selected times we were in battle.
The MR for 24 Feb 45
Indicates Pvt James E. Knight 1408236 was among 4 men slightly wounded in action on
Corregidor. For SSGt Knight's information "Slightly Wounded" could be attached
to anything including what most of us would consider "Serious".
The RECORD OF EVENTS that
day say:
"Left
Bivouac Area 0730 Engaged in Battle 1145 East of Malinta Hill Corregidor PI. Final
Objective Inf Point taken 1930 Set up Defense for the Night Enemy attacked using Knee
Mortars attack repulsed 3 EM KIA - 1 EM missing in Action 1 Officer and 15 EM wounded.
This MR was signed by
Wirt Cates who was killed on Negros.
Don Abbott
P.S. If Knight has not talked with Louis Aiken
he should. Louis has a fantastic memory for people and was a fixture in "B"
Company. |
James
Knight
|
Dear Mr. Abbott,
Firstly, I wish to thank you, Mr. Abbott, from the bottom of my heart
for your help in further uncovering the facts about my father. These facts that you
uncovered are new revelations to me. This is information that is part of a puzzle that I
have wanted to piece together all of my life, but never realized that I had a chance at
knowing about, much less actually accomplishing.
Secondly, I want to most
sincerely apologize to you, Mr. Abbott, and to anyone else who was offended or who
misunderstood Sandras and my intentions in offering a modest donation to the 503d. I wish
to address that issue in a most sincere, and straight-forward manner that I hope each of
you can respect and appreciate, even if you do not agree. If I have given the impression
that I wish to offer "payment" for anyone's help or cooperation, then I am truly
sorry. I am well aware that the integrity of men such as yourself and I am aware that the
integrity of the men of the 503d is not for sale. I am so aware of that fact, as I believe
is everyone else, that, although I saw the possible negative connection prior to making
the offer, I disregarded and discounted that possible negative connection as a frivolous
and unfounded reason not to make the contribution to the 503d that I thought was so
important. I will explain later why I so firmly believe that supporting the 503d PRCT
Association is important.
Sir, my wife and I make
our frequent contributions based upon our convictions and beliefs. We believe in putting
our money, though we have precious little of it, where we believe it will do the most good
and where it is most needed. We believe in investing in people, not in material things.
Let me give you a little
insight into how this Staff Sergeant thinks.
Keep in mind that I am at
the forefront and I am hands-on in leading this new generation of soldiers. The present
generation of young Americans today, including soldiers, desperately need to reach down to
their boots-straps and find or somehow to manage to grasp some of the character and
strength that those young boys found within themselves on Corregidor. Consider that I am
an active duty NCO, and as a Combat Maneuver Training Center (CMTC) Observer/Controller, I
was among those who provided some of the last training received by many of the soldiers
that are now in Bosnia and Kosovo. I can tell you first-hand how badly these young
soldiers today need some of that intangible wherewithal, determination and
hardiness, born of those young men that had just survived The Great Depression and who
never ate at a McDonalds, or a ate TV dinner, or sat locked in their bedrooms for whole
weekends playing Nintendo on their own personal computer.
The men of the 503d did
not join the army because the recruiter promised them, and then guaranteed them in
writing, over $50,000 in college money to be given to them over a period of 36-48 months
after their enlistment was up. No sir, the men of the 503d's generation had other reasons
and other priorities in mind when they enlisted. They wanted to serve their country,
unconditionally. My father, despite his shortcomings, taught me the priceless value
character and values. These are not commodities. They can not be bought and they cannot be
sold. They either exist or they don't. It can't get much simpler than that.
Gentlemen: please do not
sell yourselves short or otherwise forget or disremember the vital importance of the
message that you have as a group to bring to the new generation of young Americans. I am
there with them every day, and I am with some of the best of them who wear camouflage. I
can tell you, first-hand, that they desperately need to hear your message and they need to
rediscover the values of your generation.
Soldiers today have no
concept of what it would be like to face a Banzai charge. I have not heard the command
"Fix"..."Bayonets"! since I was in basic training and even then it was
about a half hour of training at the most. They are afraid if they teach real hand-to-hand
combat some momma's boy might get hurt. Somehow the concept of the warrior spirit, of
warrior ethics and the warrior class is becoming archaic, and old fashioned, and soon it
will be a thing of the past. You old guys (excuse me) know that we are going to have
another big war...it is just a matter of time.
These kids think the next
big war is going to be fought like nintendo and the next time we will have six months to
train in the terrain before we fight. They do not understand the vulnerability of
technology and all the eggs are in one basket. Hit the beach running...hit the ground
running?...What is that?...that's the old days...get real they think...things have changed
they say.
War never changes...it is
only about making the other poor son-of-a-bitch die for his country and that is all it
will ever be about. If you are not better than him, then he is going to make you die for
your country. It is that simple. Like I heard one grunt wisely say..."it takes a
grunt to kick another grunt out of a hole". What do we do if this next war is with
China and if we have to fight on two fronts again like in your war. What if the enemy is
willing to trade 100 or 500 of their lives for 1 American life? This generation is soon
going to need some of whatever it was that your generation had...and you may not be around
to tell them about it then when they need it. So, you had better tell them now. I want to
help in any way that I can to help the men of the 503d to accomplish their mission as they
choose to define it. I have no doubt that it is honorable and worthy of men such as
yourselves.
I have told you why I
believe the 503d should be supported and why I made the proposal for a donation. I can not
speak for every other American. I can only speak for myself. Sandra and I can only speak
for ourselves. I (we) can only do our small part in the scheme of things. Sandra and I
have faith and hope and that is all that we need. I am not going to apologize for this
thesis or dissertation because I meant every word of it. I know you may not be in the mood
for a sermon by a young whipper-snapper like me, but you got it anyway. And, I realize
that I may be preaching to the choir in many cases, but Mr. Abbott, no matter how
innocently or unintended, just pushed my button, so I felt that I had to say it.
Mr. Abbot, I also
appreciate your level of fatherly concern about why I wish to donate a rather modest
amount money to the 503d. And, while it is true that I am so overcome with gratitude upon
finding you and the association that I have trouble putting it all into words;
nevertheless, I am not naive and I maintain my own sense of propriety.
I want you each to know
that I hold each and every one of you in the highest regard and in the highest esteem. I
felt that is is important that I clarify some things for those who may have been wondering
about my intentions and about my high-speed, and probably aggressive approach to finding
out about my father. My wife tells me that I have two speeds: wide-open and stop. She may
be right.
Sincerely,
James E. Knight
SSG, US Army
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