Medal of Honor: Raymond L. Knight - World War II - April 24-25, 1945

Name: Raymond L. Knight
Rank: First Lieutenant
Branch: U.S. Army Air Corps
War: World War II
Unit: U.S. Army Air Corps
Date of Action: April 24-25, 1945
Location: Northern Po Valley, Italy

Summary of Action

On 24 and 25 April 1945, First Lieutenant Raymond L. Knight distinguished himself during the final Allied drive in northern Italy.

Flying a fighter-bomber on a series of low-level strafing missions, Knight struck enemy airfields at a critical moment in the campaign.

Across the two days of action, he personally destroyed fourteen grounded enemy aircraft and led attacks that wrecked ten more.

On the morning of 24 April, Knight volunteered to lead two other aircraft against the heavily defended airfield at Ghedi.

Ordering the others to remain at safer altitude, he alone skimmed the ground through deadly antiaircraft fire to reconnoiter the field.

At minimum altitude he located eight German aircraft hidden under camouflage.

Rejoining his flight, he briefed them by radio and then led a low-level attack through intense fire.

Knight destroyed five aircraft himself while his flight destroyed two others.

After returning to base, he again volunteered—this time to lead three aircraft against Bergamo airfield, another strongly defended enemy base.

Once more he ordered his flight to remain clear while he alone flew through exceptionally heavy fire to scout the field.

His Thunderbolt was heavily damaged, but he discovered a squadron of enemy aircraft concealed beneath camouflage and led the attack.

After the initial strike, Knight returned alone and made ten deliberate passes over the target despite being hit twice more.

He destroyed six fully loaded twin-engine aircraft and two fighters.

His flight destroyed four more twin-engine aircraft and another fighter.

Early the next morning, Knight attacked Bergamo again.

Spotting an enemy aircraft on the runway, he led three American pilots through another blistering sweep despite vicious fire that rendered his plane nearly unflyable.

Three of the few remaining enemy twin-engine aircraft at the base were destroyed.

Though now over friendly territory, Knight refused to bail out because his unit urgently needed aircraft.

Choosing duty over safety, he attempted to nurse the shattered plane home.

Fighting weather and damage, he flew into the Apennine Mountains where he crashed and was killed.

His fearless attacks wiped out enemy aircraft poised to strike Allied ground forces crossing the Po River and helped hasten the collapse of German resistance in Italy.

Medal of Honor Citation

KNIGHT, RAYMOND L. (Air Mission)

He piloted a fighter-bomber aircraft in a series of low-level strafing missions, destroying 14 grounded enemy aircraft and leading attacks which wrecked 10 others during a critical period of the Allied drive in northern Italy. On the morning of 24 April, he volunteered to lead 2 other aircraft against the strongly defended enemy airdrome at Ghedi. Ordering his fellow pilots to remain aloft, he skimmed the ground through a deadly curtain of antiaircraft fire to reconnoiter the field, locating 8 German aircraft hidden beneath heavy camouflage. He rejoined his flight, briefed them by radio, and then led them with consummate skill through the hail of enemy fire in a low-level attack, destroying 5 aircraft, while his flight accounted for 2 others. Returning to his base, he volunteered to lead 3 other aircraft in reconnaissance of Bergamo airfield, an enemy base near Ghedi and one known to be equally well defended. Again ordering his flight to remain out of range of antiaircraft fire, 1st Lt. Knight flew through an exceptionally intense barrage, which heavily damaged his Thunderbolt, to observe the field at minimum altitude. He discovered a squadron of enemy aircraft under heavy camouflage and led his flight to the assault. Returning alone after this strafing, he made 10 deliberate passes against the field despite being hit by antiaircraft fire twice more, destroying 6 fully loaded enemy twin-engine aircraft and 2 fighters. His skillfully led attack enabled his flight to destroy 4 other twin-engine aircraft and a fighter plane. He then returned to his base in his seriously damaged plane. Early the next morning, when he again attacked Bergamo, he sighted an enemy plane on the runway. Again he led 3 other American pilots in a blistering low-level sweep through vicious antiaircraft fire that damaged his plane so severely that it was virtually nonflyable. Three of the few remaining enemy twin-engine aircraft at that base were destroyed. Realizing the critical need for aircraft in his unit, he declined to parachute to safety over friendly territory and unhesitatingly attempted to return his shattered plane to his home field. With great skill and strength, he flew homeward until caught by treacherous air conditions in the Appennines Mountains, where he crashed and was killed. The gallant action of 1st Lt. Knight eliminated the German aircraft which were poised to wreak havoc on Allied forces pressing to establish the first firm bridgehead across the Po River; his fearless daring and voluntary self-sacrifice averted possible heavy casualties among ground forces and the resultant slowing of the German drive culminated in the collapse of enemy resistance in Italy.