Raymond L. Knight

Knowing that his unit was short on aircraft, he decided against parachuting to safety and instead attempted to fly the Thunderbolt back to his home airbase, but crashed in the Apennine Mountains and was killed.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.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.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.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.
HoustonApennine MountainsItalian Social RepublicHouston National CemeteryUnited States of AmericaUnited States Army Air Forces346th Fighter Squadron350th Fighter GroupWorld War IIMedal of HonorDistinguished Flying CrossPurple HeartAir MedalArmy Air ForcesHouston, TexasP-47 ThunderboltPo Valleystrafinganti-aircraft fireArmy Air Forces Pilot Badgeoak leaf clustersArmy Good Conduct MedalAmerican Campaign MedalEuropean–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medalcampaign starsWorld War II Victory MedalArmy Presidential Unit Citationfighter-bomber aircraftAllied drive in northern ItalyairdromeBergamoList of Medal of Honor recipientsUnited States Army Center of Military History