Richard Vincent Knight, Jr

The database page for Richard Vincent Knight, Jr

27 Mar 2001 Richard V. Knight HS graduation, 1965 You were my friend and I miss you still. All I have to do is close my eyes and I can see your smile. I remember riding in your little white VW and the last time I saw you. I read the book "Sapper In The Wire, Life and Death of Fire Base Maryann." It gave me a sense of the life you had in Nam. Tomorrow will mark 30 years since you left this world. I will think of you and probably cry, again. Though time has passed the hurt is still just as sharp and real. I had hoped to find your family so I could talk to them but so far I have had no luck. Maybe one day they will read this and know that you were special to someone other than them. Until we meet again, as you always said, "Take care, I care." A memorial from his friend, Debby Cleghorn debcleghorn@bellsouth.net

16 May 2001 Virginia and I miss you. It seem like yesterday we joined the Army together in Florida. We went off to war no matter what others felt. When Virginia and I heard of your passing our hearts cried out for you and your family. Whether right or wrong we gave ourselves. When I lost you I not only lost a friend but a brother. May God keep you by his side. Joe Lee Sr 3188 NC 222 East, Kenly NC 27542 surfsup@cobra2.com

22 Apr 2002 Richard Knight was commanding Company C, 1/46th Inf, 196th LIB, Americal Division, when he was killed in a sapper attack on FSB Mary Ann on March 28, 1971. I was a radio-telephone operator in the command platoon of Company B, 1/46th Inf, when CPT Knight spent a few days with us before he took command of Co C. Although I only spent a short time around him I thought very highly of him. I remember sitting in our night laager and discussing a variety of topics with him. I know many veterans of Co C who have great respect and admiration for their fallen commander. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. May he rest in peace. Gary Noller GNoller@aol.com

11 July 2002 I was Dick's XO for about six months when he was assigned to a Mobile Advisory Team (MAT III-9) in 1969 and just recently learned that he was killed on his second tour in Vietnam. There was no finer man, nor finer combat officer in my mind. If his family reads this, I do have some pictures of him taken in 1969 that I'd be glad to share. America has never produced people better than Dick Knight. Dick Berls dickberls@hotmail.com

14 May 2005 RICHARD V KNIGHT The finest officer I served with - he led, we followed. He was a charger. A group of us got together on March 28, 2005 to pay tribute to him and the other guys who gave their all. It's my belief that he's still leading and those guys are still following. Sir Richard, we miss you and will never forget you. When the time comes I hope you're there to lead because I will follow. God bless you. From your CP Medic, Charlie Company, Bruce (Doc) Attenberger bjcja@msn.com

10 Sep 2005 Captain Knight also received the Bronze Star with "V" for Valor and another Bronze Star on his first tour in Vietnam. I have both the medals and the documents for these. Please add these to his medal set shown on line. SP/4 Larry M. Pistole Squad Leader, RECON, 1/46th, 196th LIB Republic of Vietnam 1971 13 May 2007 Captain Knight, We have had another Mary Ann reunion at Fort Knox, Kentucky this year (2007) and your tape that you sent home was played before a group of veterans with tears in their eyes and yet you made them laugh with your funny ways. It was a good thing. Lt. Dan Mack took the tape and is having it made into a disc with photos so everyone can have it and enyoy it in remembering you. I brought you a flag on Veteran's Day and another for Christmas this year along with one for LTC. Doyle. God Bless you, Sir. I hope to get to shake your hand once again in the future. You are deeply missed at the reunions and thought about and talked about with great respect by all. I bring your medals and documents to the reunion every year and display them for the men to appreciate. We only wish you could have lived your life and be here with us at these reunions. Then-PFC Larry M. Pistole HHC 1/46th, 196th L.I.B. Fire Base Mary Ann Republic of Vietnam March 27-28, 1971 Larry M. Pistole flytiger@bealenet.com

04 Jun 2006 He was my father's brother. If you have any information or pictures please e-mail me. From his nephew, Kyle R. Knight theonlyfamilyguy@yahoo.com

07 Jul 2006 I served with Richard Knight at Fort Hood, Texas in late 1967 and early 1968. At that time we were in the 5th Battalion, 46th Infantry attached to the 2nd Armored Division for pre-deployment training. He was a platoon leader under the command of Captain McCarley. I was impressed with then Lt. Knight's enthusiasm, esprit de corps, and, for a young lieutenant, his profesionalism. He treated everyone, including the enlisted men, with dignity and respect. He was a leader that I would have followed anywhere. He was a fine man and I will always remember him. From a brother in arms, Anthony S. Clark E-Mail will be forwarded by the Webmaster@VirtualWall.org

A Note from The Virtual Wall On the night of 27/28 March 1971 Fire Support Base (FSB) Mary Ann was occupied by 209 Americans from several units of the Americal Division: HHC 1/46th Infantry; C Co 1/46th Infantry; a Recon Platoon; elements of a Mortar Platoon; two 155mm howitzer sections, 3/16th Arty; and twenty ARVN artillerymen. At approximately 0230 hours, 28 March 1971, the VC mounted a coordinated mortar and sapper attack. Almost simultaneously with the mortar attack, sappers employed satchel charges and rocket propelled grenades (RPG) to penetrate the FSB's perimeter. Americans in the perimeter bunkers hunkered down until the explosions from the mortar rounds, satchel charges, and RPGs had subsided, but by then the sappers had breached the trench line and were inside the base. Once inside FSB Mary Ann, the sappers struck over half the bunkers. By the time the VC withdrew, 30 American soldiers were dead and 76 wounded. The dead were B Btry, 1st Bn, 14th Arty Rgt 1LT John L. Hogan, Exeter, NH C Btry, 3rd Bn, 16th Arty Rgt SGT Clifford W. Corr, Viola, KS SP4 Larry D. Austin, Des Moines, IA CPL Donald C. Bennett, New Lexington, OH CPL William W. Kirkpatrick, Torrance, CA SP4 Roger D. Whirlow, Odessa, TX A Co, 1st Bn, 46th Inf Rgt SGT Michael J. Bayne, Phoenix, AZ SGT Larry W. McKee, Delaware, OH C Co, 1st Bn, 46th Inf Rgt CPT Richard V. Knight, Ormond Beach, FL 1LT Carl B. McGee, Detroit, MI SSG Terry H. Price, Salt Lake City, UT SSG Warren P. Ritsema, Fremont, MI SGT Ronald J. Becksted, Cleveland, OH SGT Richard J. Boehm, Mandan, ND SGT Richard R. Carson, Tuscola, IL SGT Michael L. Crossley, Houston, TX SGT Myron B. Johnson, Mandaree, ND SGT Robert J. Schumacher, Lebanon, OR SP4 Victor R. Bennett, Haskins, OH SP4 James E. Edgemon, Bellevue, TX CPL Druey L. Hatfield, Lorado, WV CPL Michael S. Holloway, Wyoming, MI CPL Dallas D. Robinson, Trade, TN CPL Paul A. Sheer, Lakeview, OR SP4 Donald M. Stotts, Fenton, MI PFC Laymon Palmer, Little Rock, AR PFC Clark V. Shawnee, Lawton, OK PVT Steven D. Plath, St Louis Park, MN HHC, 1st Bn, 46th Inf Rgt SP5 Kyle S. Hamilton, St Paul, VA PFC Wilbert S. Dupree, Jamaica, NY Mr. Pistole has provided documented information on Captain Knight's service: 2LT Knight served as a platoon leader in the Americal Division, receiving the Bronze Star for valor and his first Purple Heart on 20 April 1968. He then was assigned to the MACV Advisors, where he was awarded his second Bronze Star for valor "... while serving as Senior Advisor to the 253 Regional Force Company, Nhon Trach District, Bien Hoa Province..." on 29 September 1969. As Dick Berls notes, 1LT Knight then served with MAT III-9, Advisory Team 98, where he was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service from November 1968 to October 1969. He then returned to the United States. CPT Knight received the Army Commendation Medal for service from 15 July 1969 to 15 August 1969. He completed Airborne training at Fort Bragg on 12 December 1969 and the Jumpmaster Course with the 7th Special Forces Group Airborne on 13 February 1970. He began his second tour in Vietnam on 28 Sep 1970, again serving with the Americal Division.

The point-of-contact for this memorial is a friend, Debby Cleghorn 3917 Pontiac St, Bakersfield Ca 93304 debcleghorn@bellsouth.net

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 27 Mar 2001
Last updated 02/04/2011