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Larry William Knight
LARRY WILLIAM KNIGHT
Birth May 23, 1945
Hometown Rockford, Illinois
Parents James and Ada (Sherman) Knight
Military branch Navy
Early Life
Larry Knight was born on May 23, 1945 in Rockford, Illinois, to Ada (Sherman) and James Knight. He had three brothers, James, Jack, and Richard.
Knight attended Stillman Valley High School, where he was a member of the 1960 football team, played basketball, and was a member of the band. He was a member of the Stillman Valley Congregational Church, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge 140, and the Royal Neighbors of America. He graduated from Stillman Valley High School in 1963.
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Knight attended UW-Platteville from the fall of 1963 to the spring of 1964. His intended major was industrial education. Following attendance at UW-Platteville, he attended Colorado State University at Greeley, Colorado from the fall of 1964 to the spring of 1965.
Military
Knight enlisted in the Navy on Oct. 28, 1965 and attended Recruit Training at the Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois from Jan. 12 to March 24, 1966. He then trained to be a Navy Corpsman at the Navy Hospital Corps School. His first assignment after Corps School, from July 1966 to March 1967, was as a Senior Corpsman on the Neurology and Neurosurgery Ward at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital. Knight also played trombone in the Navy Band during his time at Great Lakes. From April 20 to May 23, 1967, Knight trained at the Field Medical Training Battalion at Camp Pendleton, California.
He received orders to Vietnam and reported to the 3rd Marine Division on May 26, 1967. On June 1, he arrived at his assigned unit, Headquarters ad Service Company, 3rd Battalion 9th Marines. The 9th Marines had become involved in some of the bitterest fighting of the war, operating near Con Thien, Quang Tri Province. Operation Cimarron commenced on June 1, 1967, the very day Knight reported to his unit. On that day, while patrolling near Camp Carroll, Lima Company 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, the unit to which Knight was attached, ran into a North Vietnamese Army unit deeply entrenched in a cleverly concealed and heavily defended bunker. The resulting fight led to the deaths of 10 Marines and three Navy Corpsmen, one of whom was Hospitalman Knight, who was mortally wounded by enemy gunfire.
The Vietnam Military Merit and Cross of Gallantry with Palm Medals, presented to Hospitalman Knight posthumously, was accompanied with the following translated text, "Courageous combatant well known for his sacrifice, who always exhibited a spirit of good will and cooperation. He assisted the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces in blocking the Red Wave of aggression from engulfing South Vietnam and Southeast Asia. With his enthusiasm and exemplary devoted manner, he willingly executed all of entrusted assignments and disregarding all hardships and dangers, set a brilliant example for his comrades-in-arms. He died in the performance of his mission. His loss is greatly mourned by both American and Vietnamese friends."
Hospitalman Knight is buried in the Stillman Valley Cemetery in Stillman Valley, Illinois.
Among Hospitalman Knight’s awards are the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two service stars and Fleet Marine Force Combat Operations Insignia, Vietnam Military Merit Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Vietnam Civil Action Unit Citation, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Larry Knight’s name appears in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., on panel 21E, line 28.
