Jack L. Knight

Continued the assault after a grenade had blinded both eyes.

Jack Llewellyn Knight was born near Garner, Texas, on 29 May 1917. He attended local schools and graduated from Weatherford Junior College in 1938. In October 1940 he and his brothers joined Troop F of the Texas National Guard's 124th Cavalry. Federal service initially involved training and duty along the Mexican border.

Knight advanced from private to sergeant and attended cavalry officer candidate school at Fort Riley. Commissioned in 1943, he continued training with the regiment before its deployment to the China-Burma-India theatre. The 124th became part of the MARS Task Force, operating on foot in difficult terrain to open the route between India and China.

On 2 February 1945, near Loi Kang in Burma, Lieutenant Knight led his troop through mortar, artillery and small arms fire. After taking the first objective he found further Japanese pillboxes and foxholes ahead. Moving in front of his men, he destroyed two pillboxes and attacked the other positions. An enemy grenade wounded and blinded him, but he continued directing and encouraging the assault until he was mortally wounded. His brother Curtis was also wounded while attempting to help him.

Knight received the Medal of Honor posthumously. His father accepted it at Camp Wolters on 25 June 1945. His remains were returned to Texas and buried at Holders Chapel Cemetery near Cool. Texas later honoured him through its Military Hall of Honor and the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor.