Herbert D. Knight
Service #: 34211043
Entered Service From: North Carolina
Rank: Private First Class, U.S. Army
Unit: Company A, 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division
Date of Death: 16 July 1943, killed in action along the Munda Trail, New Georgia, Solomon Islands.
Buried: Manila American Cemetery – Plot A, Row 14, Grave 149
Awards: Purple Heart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1920 United States Federal Census (05 March 1920): Old Store Township, Chesterfield County, South Carolina (sheet 16B, family 283, Charlesfield and Smiester Road) – Herbert Knight Jr (1/12 South Carolina).
1930 United States Federal Census (15 April 1930): Belmont, South Point Township, Gaston County, North Carolina (sheet 20A, family 385, 36 Limestone Drive, Belmont Processing Company) – Dwight Knight (10 South Carolina).
1940 United States Federal Census (11 April 1940): White Store Township, Anson County, North Carolina (sheet 6B, household 385) – Dwight H. Knight (20 South Carolina, farm laborer). His family had lived in rural Mecklenburg County, North Carolina in 1935. Dwight had completed 8th grade.
Herbert Dwight Knight (21, born 24 December 1919 Pageland, South Carolina), a resident of 604 East Ninth Street, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, signed up for his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. S115, Order No. S-3542) on 01 July 1941 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He was an employee of the Charlotte Pipe & Foundry Company. Herbert listed Andrew Knight as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 6'2" in height, 160 lbs, of light complexion, with blue eyes and brown hair.
1942 Charlotte, North Carolina, City Directory – Dwight Knight, mach opr, r112 W Worthington av
Herbert D. Knight (1919 South Carolina), a resident of Mecklemburg County, North Carolina enlisted as a Private (S/N 34211043) in the U.S. Army on 14 February 1942 at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina. His enlistment was "for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law." Herbert was single and had completed Grammar School.
Private Knight was assigned to the 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army and sent to Camp Shelby, twelve miles from Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
He participated in the Louisiana maneuvers during the months of August and September of 1941. The men of the 43d were getting their first training under simulated, near-combat conditions. In August 1942 they received orders to move to the West Coast. They traveled by troops trains to Fort Ord, near Monterey, in California, arriving on 10 September.
The 169th departed the San Francisco, California Port of Embarkation on 30 September 1942 for the South Pacific in a convoy. The 169th had a total strength of 139 officers, 5 warrant officers, and 3,138 enlisted men.
The 43d Infantry Division landed in New Zealand on 23 October 1942. The division remained in New Zealand as strategic reserve for the purpose of meeting a threatened Japanese invasion. The 169th was billeted in the vicinity of Warkworth, New Zealand. They engaged in intensive training on the island. On 28 November, the 169th arrived in Nouméa, New Caledonia and garrisoned the island while conducting intensive jungle warfare training, loading and unloading ships, and guarding Japanese prisoners of war. The 169th embarked for Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands on 15 February 1943, and two days into the voyage, the convoy was attacked by Japanese torpedo planes. On 18 February, the convoy docked at Guadalcanal and bivouacked on the island. just prior to the termination of the campaign there.
Private First Class Herbert D. Knight (S/N 34211043), Company A, 169th Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, is found aboard the high-speed transport U.S.S. SANDS (APD-13) on 21 February 1943. They were heading to the Russell Islands, also in the Solomons chain. On 23–24 February, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 169th made an amphibious assault on the island of Pavuvu in the Russell Islands against no resistance. The regiment's first casualties came during their occupation of Pavuvu when Japanese planes strafed their positions. For the next few months, the 169th engaged in realistic jungle warfare training and honed their battle skills before their next assignment.
The 169th was then organized as a task force with elements of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. The immediate focus was on New Georgia, "where in the fall of 1942 the Japanese had built an airfield on the southwest corner at Munda. Periodically they had used this 4700-foot runway as a launching pad for raids on Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, roughly 180 miles to the southeast. It was also used to stage through attacks from Bougainville and Rabaul, so from an American standpoint Munda had to be neutralized, and if possible captured."
Source: http://blog.usni.org/2009/10/15/the-solomons-campaign-ground-action-the-new-georgia-campaign-june-20-november-3-1943
As a part of the 43rd Infantry Division operation, the Regiment seized Rendova Island against minimal opposition on 30 June 1943. Elements of the 169th soon landed on the southern coast of New Georgia on 02 July and began to march alongside the 172nd Infantry Regiment toward Munda Point to capture the Munda Airfield there.
The assault on New Georgia was met with determined enemy resistance and the men of the 169th "were soon introduced to the harsh realities of jungle warfare."
The inexperienced 43rd Division had been handed the most difficult terrain imaginable. They had to literally cut their way through the jungle with machetes and axes. This meant an almost single-file track where only a few snipers could delay the entire column.
The 169th had known it was in trouble its first day up the Munda Trail. Its goal was a Japanese fighter base, 5 miles away by foot through jungle....That first day, a machine gun blocked the troops, and when one or two men were killed, the regiment stalled all the way back to the beach....With no real battle experience, the 169th was in the hottest spot in the Solomons.
The first night of fighting, several men of the 169th -- and other units -- walked away. Leaders estimated that the 169th lost a fourth of its 2,800 men that way in the next few weeks, and the Allies lost about 1,600 men overall to the condition, which they called war neurosis or battle fatigue.
"We had a tough fight on New Georgia, we really did," says Higgins, the supply officer. "The regiment got a lot of bad publicity about what we call war neurosis, and I think it was deserved." Source: http://articles.courant.com/1993-07-26/news/0000006888_1_new-georgia-jungle-solomon-islands
Yet even as some men walked away from the lines, the others stuck to the job. The 169th Regiment continued its westward advance parallel to the coastline. PFC Herbert Dwight Knight was one of those who continued.
10-13 July 1943
10 July 1943 During July 10, resistance increased, and it became apparent that we were approaching the enemy's major defensive line..."
11 July 1943 The 169th's drive towards Munda Airfield was completely stalled by combat casualties, fatigue, jungle diseases, and continuous rain. "...Rain turned the trail into a quagmire, and evacuation and supply were almost impossible through the knee-deep mud..."
12 July 1943 "...At this time the 169th Infantry, under extremely heavy mortar and machine gun lire had advanced to the base of the high ground commanding the approaches to Munda. This high ground was extremely well defended with fortifications. Mutually supporting pill boxes were found in many instances at ten yard intervals. Continued infiltration and night harassment by mortars slowed the progress on this front...By late afternoon on July 12, the 169th Infantry was unable to advance..."
13 July 1943 "Following an air bombardment requested for the morning of the 13th of July, the 169th Infantry, attacked a strategic hill commanding the Munda Trail. The attack was repulsed three times, but on the fourth attempt was successful."
14 July 1943 "The 169th Infantry sent patrols south to establish lateral communication with the 172d Infantry and established a trail- block at the junction of the Munda and Lambetti Trails."
15 July 1943 "The 1st Battalion, 145th Infantry, landed at Zanana early July 15, and was attached to the 43d Division. It moved west on the Munda Trail, with the mission of relieving two battalions of the 169th Infantry, then at seriously reduced strength. This battalion reached the 169th Infantry at 1700, on July 15, and remained initially in regimental reserve, pending completion of local operations.
16 July 1943 "On July 16 the division attacked on its new front, tanks reinforcing the 172d Infantry on the left. The 169th Infantry, taking advantage of its salient, enveloped on enemy strongpoint to its left front, considerably improving its position, and seizing terrain from which Munda Field could be observed." Source: The History of the 43rd Infantry Division 1941 - 1945 by Colonel Joseph E. Zimmer, Infantry (The Army and Navy Publishing Company, Baton Rouge, Louisiana), page 28.
Private First Class Herbert D. Knight was killed on 16 July 1944 somewhere on the Munda Trail. "Diagnosis: Concussion; Location: Brain (cerebral); Causative Agent: Artillery Shell fragment; shell explosion." Source: US, WWII Hospital Admission Card Files
He was first buried in the Munda Cemetery #1, New Georgia. His body was then disinterred and brought to 6928 United States Armed Forces Cemetery, Finschaffen #4, British New Guinea and buried in Grave 175.
PVT. KNIGHT'S MEMORIAL SET
Services For Soldier Killed In Pacific to Be Held Sunday Morning at Oakhurst.
Memorial services for Private Herbert Dwight Knight, who was killed in action on July 16 in the Southwest Pacific, will be held tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock at Oakhurst Baptist church.
Chaplain J.E. Scott of Morris Field will assist the pastor, Rev. W. W. Lawton, Jr., in conducting the services.
Before entering the service Private Knight was connected with the Industrial Dye Works in Charlotte. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Knight of Marshville, and the grandson of W. A. Knight, Sr. of Charlotte.
Born on December 24, 1919, Private Knight received his schooling in Pageland, South Carolina, and at Pineville. Source: The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), Saturday, 04 September 1943, page 17.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Munda Trail is the dramatic, harrowing story of green American soldiers encountering for the first time impenetrable swamps, solid rain forests, invisible coconut-log pillboxes, tenacious snipers tied into trees, torrential tropical rains, counterattack by enemy aircraft and naval guns, and the logistical nightmare of living and moving in endless mud. A carefully planned offensive quickly degenerates into isolated small-unit actions as the terrain breaks unit cohesion and leads inexperienced soldiers into deadly ambushes. As physical and psychological strains mount, Army doctors begin to define a new disease nearing epidemic proportions—combat fatigue. Men without injuries simply become useless for further fighting, the advance bogs down. Yet, over time, the scared American soldiers find their inner resolve and climb out of the psychological abyss, emerge steady and true, combat veterans at last—and victors." Source: http://www.erichammelbooks.com/books/b_munda-trail.php
The 43rd Division in New Georgia lost 581 men to battle deaths, 1,552 to war neurosis, 1,171 to malaria and 597 to other causes. A total of 2,059 were wounded. The Japanese lost about 4000 men in the 81 days of fighting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the war (between 15 May 1947 and 07 December 1947) his remains (along with 11,000 other American soldiers from the five Finschaffen cemeteries) were disinterred and brought to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (father, Mr. Herbert C. Knight), Private First Class Herbert Dwight Knight was buried in his final resting place in the 7701 Fort McKinley Military Cemetery (now known as the Manila American Cemetery) – Plot A, Row 14, Grave 149.
Service #: 34211043
Entered Service From: North Carolina
Rank: Private First Class, U.S. Army
Unit: Company A, 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division
Date of Death: 16 July 1943, killed in action along the Munda Trail, New Georgia, Solomon Islands.
Buried: Manila American Cemetery – Plot A, Row 14, Grave 149
Awards: Purple Heart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1920 United States Federal Census (05 March 1920): Old Store Township, Chesterfield County, South Carolina (sheet 16B, family 283, Charlesfield and Smiester Road) – Herbert Knight Jr (1/12 South Carolina).
1930 United States Federal Census (15 April 1930): Belmont, South Point Township, Gaston County, North Carolina (sheet 20A, family 385, 36 Limestone Drive, Belmont Processing Company) – Dwight Knight (10 South Carolina).
1940 United States Federal Census (11 April 1940): White Store Township, Anson County, North Carolina (sheet 6B, household 385) – Dwight H. Knight (20 South Carolina, farm laborer). His family had lived in rural Mecklenburg County, North Carolina in 1935. Dwight had completed 8th grade.
Herbert Dwight Knight (21, born 24 December 1919 Pageland, South Carolina), a resident of 604 East Ninth Street, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, signed up for his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. S115, Order No. S-3542) on 01 July 1941 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He was an employee of the Charlotte Pipe & Foundry Company. Herbert listed Andrew Knight as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 6'2" in height, 160 lbs, of light complexion, with blue eyes and brown hair.
1942 Charlotte, North Carolina, City Directory – Dwight Knight, mach opr, r112 W Worthington av
Herbert D. Knight (1919 South Carolina), a resident of Mecklemburg County, North Carolina enlisted as a Private (S/N 34211043) in the U.S. Army on 14 February 1942 at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina. His enlistment was "for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law." Herbert was single and had completed Grammar School.
Private Knight was assigned to the 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army and sent to Camp Shelby, twelve miles from Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
He participated in the Louisiana maneuvers during the months of August and September of 1941. The men of the 43d were getting their first training under simulated, near-combat conditions. In August 1942 they received orders to move to the West Coast. They traveled by troops trains to Fort Ord, near Monterey, in California, arriving on 10 September.
The 169th departed the San Francisco, California Port of Embarkation on 30 September 1942 for the South Pacific in a convoy. The 169th had a total strength of 139 officers, 5 warrant officers, and 3,138 enlisted men.
The 43d Infantry Division landed in New Zealand on 23 October 1942. The division remained in New Zealand as strategic reserve for the purpose of meeting a threatened Japanese invasion. The 169th was billeted in the vicinity of Warkworth, New Zealand. They engaged in intensive training on the island. On 28 November, the 169th arrived in Nouméa, New Caledonia and garrisoned the island while conducting intensive jungle warfare training, loading and unloading ships, and guarding Japanese prisoners of war. The 169th embarked for Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands on 15 February 1943, and two days into the voyage, the convoy was attacked by Japanese torpedo planes. On 18 February, the convoy docked at Guadalcanal and bivouacked on the island. just prior to the termination of the campaign there.
Private First Class Herbert D. Knight (S/N 34211043), Company A, 169th Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, is found aboard the high-speed transport U.S.S. SANDS (APD-13) on 21 February 1943. They were heading to the Russell Islands, also in the Solomons chain. On 23–24 February, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 169th made an amphibious assault on the island of Pavuvu in the Russell Islands against no resistance. The regiment's first casualties came during their occupation of Pavuvu when Japanese planes strafed their positions. For the next few months, the 169th engaged in realistic jungle warfare training and honed their battle skills before their next assignment.
The 169th was then organized as a task force with elements of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. The immediate focus was on New Georgia, "where in the fall of 1942 the Japanese had built an airfield on the southwest corner at Munda. Periodically they had used this 4700-foot runway as a launching pad for raids on Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, roughly 180 miles to the southeast. It was also used to stage through attacks from Bougainville and Rabaul, so from an American standpoint Munda had to be neutralized, and if possible captured."
Source: http://blog.usni.org/2009/10/15/the-solomons-campaign-ground-action-the-new-georgia-campaign-june-20-november-3-1943
As a part of the 43rd Infantry Division operation, the Regiment seized Rendova Island against minimal opposition on 30 June 1943. Elements of the 169th soon landed on the southern coast of New Georgia on 02 July and began to march alongside the 172nd Infantry Regiment toward Munda Point to capture the Munda Airfield there.
The assault on New Georgia was met with determined enemy resistance and the men of the 169th "were soon introduced to the harsh realities of jungle warfare."
The inexperienced 43rd Division had been handed the most difficult terrain imaginable. They had to literally cut their way through the jungle with machetes and axes. This meant an almost single-file track where only a few snipers could delay the entire column.
The 169th had known it was in trouble its first day up the Munda Trail. Its goal was a Japanese fighter base, 5 miles away by foot through jungle....That first day, a machine gun blocked the troops, and when one or two men were killed, the regiment stalled all the way back to the beach....With no real battle experience, the 169th was in the hottest spot in the Solomons.
The first night of fighting, several men of the 169th -- and other units -- walked away. Leaders estimated that the 169th lost a fourth of its 2,800 men that way in the next few weeks, and the Allies lost about 1,600 men overall to the condition, which they called war neurosis or battle fatigue.
"We had a tough fight on New Georgia, we really did," says Higgins, the supply officer. "The regiment got a lot of bad publicity about what we call war neurosis, and I think it was deserved." Source: http://articles.courant.com/1993-07-26/news/0000006888_1_new-georgia-jungle-solomon-islands
Yet even as some men walked away from the lines, the others stuck to the job. The 169th Regiment continued its westward advance parallel to the coastline. PFC Herbert Dwight Knight was one of those who continued.
10-13 July 1943
10 July 1943 During July 10, resistance increased, and it became apparent that we were approaching the enemy's major defensive line..."
11 July 1943 The 169th's drive towards Munda Airfield was completely stalled by combat casualties, fatigue, jungle diseases, and continuous rain. "...Rain turned the trail into a quagmire, and evacuation and supply were almost impossible through the knee-deep mud..."
12 July 1943 "...At this time the 169th Infantry, under extremely heavy mortar and machine gun lire had advanced to the base of the high ground commanding the approaches to Munda. This high ground was extremely well defended with fortifications. Mutually supporting pill boxes were found in many instances at ten yard intervals. Continued infiltration and night harassment by mortars slowed the progress on this front...By late afternoon on July 12, the 169th Infantry was unable to advance..."
13 July 1943 "Following an air bombardment requested for the morning of the 13th of July, the 169th Infantry, attacked a strategic hill commanding the Munda Trail. The attack was repulsed three times, but on the fourth attempt was successful."
14 July 1943 "The 169th Infantry sent patrols south to establish lateral communication with the 172d Infantry and established a trail- block at the junction of the Munda and Lambetti Trails."
15 July 1943 "The 1st Battalion, 145th Infantry, landed at Zanana early July 15, and was attached to the 43d Division. It moved west on the Munda Trail, with the mission of relieving two battalions of the 169th Infantry, then at seriously reduced strength. This battalion reached the 169th Infantry at 1700, on July 15, and remained initially in regimental reserve, pending completion of local operations.
16 July 1943 "On July 16 the division attacked on its new front, tanks reinforcing the 172d Infantry on the left. The 169th Infantry, taking advantage of its salient, enveloped on enemy strongpoint to its left front, considerably improving its position, and seizing terrain from which Munda Field could be observed." Source: The History of the 43rd Infantry Division 1941 - 1945 by Colonel Joseph E. Zimmer, Infantry (The Army and Navy Publishing Company, Baton Rouge, Louisiana), page 28.
Private First Class Herbert D. Knight was killed on 16 July 1944 somewhere on the Munda Trail. "Diagnosis: Concussion; Location: Brain (cerebral); Causative Agent: Artillery Shell fragment; shell explosion." Source: US, WWII Hospital Admission Card Files
He was first buried in the Munda Cemetery #1, New Georgia. His body was then disinterred and brought to 6928 United States Armed Forces Cemetery, Finschaffen #4, British New Guinea and buried in Grave 175.
PVT. KNIGHT'S MEMORIAL SET
Services For Soldier Killed In Pacific to Be Held Sunday Morning at Oakhurst.
Memorial services for Private Herbert Dwight Knight, who was killed in action on July 16 in the Southwest Pacific, will be held tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock at Oakhurst Baptist church.
Chaplain J.E. Scott of Morris Field will assist the pastor, Rev. W. W. Lawton, Jr., in conducting the services.
Before entering the service Private Knight was connected with the Industrial Dye Works in Charlotte. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Knight of Marshville, and the grandson of W. A. Knight, Sr. of Charlotte.
Born on December 24, 1919, Private Knight received his schooling in Pageland, South Carolina, and at Pineville. Source: The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), Saturday, 04 September 1943, page 17.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Munda Trail is the dramatic, harrowing story of green American soldiers encountering for the first time impenetrable swamps, solid rain forests, invisible coconut-log pillboxes, tenacious snipers tied into trees, torrential tropical rains, counterattack by enemy aircraft and naval guns, and the logistical nightmare of living and moving in endless mud. A carefully planned offensive quickly degenerates into isolated small-unit actions as the terrain breaks unit cohesion and leads inexperienced soldiers into deadly ambushes. As physical and psychological strains mount, Army doctors begin to define a new disease nearing epidemic proportions—combat fatigue. Men without injuries simply become useless for further fighting, the advance bogs down. Yet, over time, the scared American soldiers find their inner resolve and climb out of the psychological abyss, emerge steady and true, combat veterans at last—and victors." Source: http://www.erichammelbooks.com/books/b_munda-trail.php
The 43rd Division in New Georgia lost 581 men to battle deaths, 1,552 to war neurosis, 1,171 to malaria and 597 to other causes. A total of 2,059 were wounded. The Japanese lost about 4000 men in the 81 days of fighting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the war (between 15 May 1947 and 07 December 1947) his remains (along with 11,000 other American soldiers from the five Finschaffen cemeteries) were disinterred and brought to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (father, Mr. Herbert C. Knight), Private First Class Herbert Dwight Knight was buried in his final resting place in the 7701 Fort McKinley Military Cemetery (now known as the Manila American Cemetery) – Plot A, Row 14, Grave 149.
Herbert D. Knight
Service #: 34211043
Entered Service From: North Carolina
Rank: Private First Class, U.S. Army
Unit: Company A, 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division
Date of Death: 16 July 1943, killed in action along the Munda Trail, New Georgia, Solomon Islands.
Buried: Manila American Cemetery – Plot A, Row 14, Grave 149
Awards: Purple Heart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1920 United States Federal Census (05 March 1920): Old Store Township, Chesterfield County, South Carolina (sheet 16B, family 283, Charlesfield and Smiester Road) – Herbert Knight Jr (1/12 South Carolina).
1930 United States Federal Census (15 April 1930): Belmont, South Point Township, Gaston County, North Carolina (sheet 20A, family 385, 36 Limestone Drive, Belmont Processing Company) – Dwight Knight (10 South Carolina).
1940 United States Federal Census (11 April 1940): White Store Township, Anson County, North Carolina (sheet 6B, household 385) – Dwight H. Knight (20 South Carolina, farm laborer). His family had lived in rural Mecklenburg County, North Carolina in 1935. Dwight had completed 8th grade.
Herbert Dwight Knight (21, born 24 December 1919 Pageland, South Carolina), a resident of 604 East Ninth Street, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, signed up for his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. S115, Order No. S-3542) on 01 July 1941 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He was an employee of the Charlotte Pipe & Foundry Company. Herbert listed Andrew Knight as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 6'2" in height, 160 lbs, of light complexion, with blue eyes and brown hair.
1942 Charlotte, North Carolina, City Directory – Dwight Knight, mach opr, r112 W Worthington av
Herbert D. Knight (1919 South Carolina), a resident of Mecklemburg County, North Carolina enlisted as a Private (S/N 34211043) in the U.S. Army on 14 February 1942 at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina. His enlistment was "for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law." Herbert was single and had completed Grammar School.
Private Knight was assigned to the 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army and sent to Camp Shelby, twelve miles from Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
He participated in the Louisiana maneuvers during the months of August and September of 1941. The men of the 43d were getting their first training under simulated, near-combat conditions. In August 1942 they received orders to move to the West Coast. They traveled by troops trains to Fort Ord, near Monterey, in California, arriving on 10 September.
The 169th departed the San Francisco, California Port of Embarkation on 30 September 1942 for the South Pacific in a convoy. The 169th had a total strength of 139 officers, 5 warrant officers, and 3,138 enlisted men.
The 43d Infantry Division landed in New Zealand on 23 October 1942. The division remained in New Zealand as strategic reserve for the purpose of meeting a threatened Japanese invasion. The 169th was billeted in the vicinity of Warkworth, New Zealand. They engaged in intensive training on the island. On 28 November, the 169th arrived in Nouméa, New Caledonia and garrisoned the island while conducting intensive jungle warfare training, loading and unloading ships, and guarding Japanese prisoners of war. The 169th embarked for Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands on 15 February 1943, and two days into the voyage, the convoy was attacked by Japanese torpedo planes. On 18 February, the convoy docked at Guadalcanal and bivouacked on the island. just prior to the termination of the campaign there.
Private First Class Herbert D. Knight (S/N 34211043), Company A, 169th Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, is found aboard the high-speed transport U.S.S. SANDS (APD-13) on 21 February 1943. They were heading to the Russell Islands, also in the Solomons chain. On 23–24 February, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 169th made an amphibious assault on the island of Pavuvu in the Russell Islands against no resistance. The regiment's first casualties came during their occupation of Pavuvu when Japanese planes strafed their positions. For the next few months, the 169th engaged in realistic jungle warfare training and honed their battle skills before their next assignment.
The 169th was then organized as a task force with elements of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. The immediate focus was on New Georgia, "where in the fall of 1942 the Japanese had built an airfield on the southwest corner at Munda. Periodically they had used this 4700-foot runway as a launching pad for raids on Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, roughly 180 miles to the southeast. It was also used to stage through attacks from Bougainville and Rabaul, so from an American standpoint Munda had to be neutralized, and if possible captured."
Source: http://blog.usni.org/2009/10/15/the-solomons-campaign-ground-action-the-new-georgia-campaign-june-20-november-3-1943
As a part of the 43rd Infantry Division operation, the Regiment seized Rendova Island against minimal opposition on 30 June 1943. Elements of the 169th soon landed on the southern coast of New Georgia on 02 July and began to march alongside the 172nd Infantry Regiment toward Munda Point to capture the Munda Airfield there.
The assault on New Georgia was met with determined enemy resistance and the men of the 169th "were soon introduced to the harsh realities of jungle warfare."
The inexperienced 43rd Division had been handed the most difficult terrain imaginable. They had to literally cut their way through the jungle with machetes and axes. This meant an almost single-file track where only a few snipers could delay the entire column.
The 169th had known it was in trouble its first day up the Munda Trail. Its goal was a Japanese fighter base, 5 miles away by foot through jungle....That first day, a machine gun blocked the troops, and when one or two men were killed, the regiment stalled all the way back to the beach....With no real battle experience, the 169th was in the hottest spot in the Solomons.
The first night of fighting, several men of the 169th -- and other units -- walked away. Leaders estimated that the 169th lost a fourth of its 2,800 men that way in the next few weeks, and the Allies lost about 1,600 men overall to the condition, which they called war neurosis or battle fatigue.
"We had a tough fight on New Georgia, we really did," says Higgins, the supply officer. "The regiment got a lot of bad publicity about what we call war neurosis, and I think it was deserved." Source: http://articles.courant.com/1993-07-26/news/0000006888_1_new-georgia-jungle-solomon-islands
Yet even as some men walked away from the lines, the others stuck to the job. The 169th Regiment continued its westward advance parallel to the coastline. PFC Herbert Dwight Knight was one of those who continued.
10-13 July 1943
10 July 1943 During July 10, resistance increased, and it became apparent that we were approaching the enemy's major defensive line..."
11 July 1943 The 169th's drive towards Munda Airfield was completely stalled by combat casualties, fatigue, jungle diseases, and continuous rain. "...Rain turned the trail into a quagmire, and evacuation and supply were almost impossible through the knee-deep mud..."
12 July 1943 "...At this time the 169th Infantry, under extremely heavy mortar and machine gun lire had advanced to the base of the high ground commanding the approaches to Munda. This high ground was extremely well defended with fortifications. Mutually supporting pill boxes were found in many instances at ten yard intervals. Continued infiltration and night harassment by mortars slowed the progress on this front...By late afternoon on July 12, the 169th Infantry was unable to advance..."
13 July 1943 "Following an air bombardment requested for the morning of the 13th of July, the 169th Infantry, attacked a strategic hill commanding the Munda Trail. The attack was repulsed three times, but on the fourth attempt was successful."
14 July 1943 "The 169th Infantry sent patrols south to establish lateral communication with the 172d Infantry and established a trail- block at the junction of the Munda and Lambetti Trails."
15 July 1943 "The 1st Battalion, 145th Infantry, landed at Zanana early July 15, and was attached to the 43d Division. It moved west on the Munda Trail, with the mission of relieving two battalions of the 169th Infantry, then at seriously reduced strength. This battalion reached the 169th Infantry at 1700, on July 15, and remained initially in regimental reserve, pending completion of local operations.
16 July 1943 "On July 16 the division attacked on its new front, tanks reinforcing the 172d Infantry on the left. The 169th Infantry, taking advantage of its salient, enveloped on enemy strongpoint to its left front, considerably improving its position, and seizing terrain from which Munda Field could be observed." Source: The History of the 43rd Infantry Division 1941 - 1945 by Colonel Joseph E. Zimmer, Infantry (The Army and Navy Publishing Company, Baton Rouge, Louisiana), page 28.
Private First Class Herbert D. Knight was killed on 16 July 1944 somewhere on the Munda Trail. "Diagnosis: Concussion; Location: Brain (cerebral); Causative Agent: Artillery Shell fragment; shell explosion." Source: US, WWII Hospital Admission Card Files
He was first buried in the Munda Cemetery #1, New Georgia. His body was then disinterred and brought to 6928 United States Armed Forces Cemetery, Finschaffen #4, British New Guinea and buried in Grave 175.
PVT. KNIGHT'S MEMORIAL SET
Services For Soldier Killed In Pacific to Be Held Sunday Morning at Oakhurst.
Memorial services for Private Herbert Dwight Knight, who was killed in action on July 16 in the Southwest Pacific, will be held tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock at Oakhurst Baptist church.
Chaplain J.E. Scott of Morris Field will assist the pastor, Rev. W. W. Lawton, Jr., in conducting the services.
Before entering the service Private Knight was connected with the Industrial Dye Works in Charlotte. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Knight of Marshville, and the grandson of W. A. Knight, Sr. of Charlotte.
Born on December 24, 1919, Private Knight received his schooling in Pageland, South Carolina, and at Pineville. Source: The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), Saturday, 04 September 1943, page 17.
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"Munda Trail is the dramatic, harrowing story of green American soldiers encountering for the first time impenetrable swamps, solid rain forests, invisible coconut-log pillboxes, tenacious snipers tied into trees, torrential tropical rains, counterattack by enemy aircraft and naval guns, and the logistical nightmare of living and moving in endless mud. A carefully planned offensive quickly degenerates into isolated small-unit actions as the terrain breaks unit cohesion and leads inexperienced soldiers into deadly ambushes. As physical and psychological strains mount, Army doctors begin to define a new disease nearing epidemic proportions—combat fatigue. Men without injuries simply become useless for further fighting, the advance bogs down. Yet, over time, the scared American soldiers find their inner resolve and climb out of the psychological abyss, emerge steady and true, combat veterans at last—and victors." Source: http://www.erichammelbooks.com/books/b_munda-trail.php
The 43rd Division in New Georgia lost 581 men to battle deaths, 1,552 to war neurosis, 1,171 to malaria and 597 to other causes. A total of 2,059 were wounded. The Japanese lost about 4000 men in the 81 days of fighting.
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After the war (between 15 May 1947 and 07 December 1947) his remains (along with 11,000 other American soldiers from the five Finschaffen cemeteries) were disinterred and brought to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (father, Mr. Herbert C. Knight), Private First Class Herbert Dwight Knight was buried in his final resting place in the 7701 Fort McKinley Military Cemetery (now known as the Manila American Cemetery) – Plot A, Row 14, Grave 149.
Service #: 34211043
Entered Service From: North Carolina
Rank: Private First Class, U.S. Army
Unit: Company A, 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division
Date of Death: 16 July 1943, killed in action along the Munda Trail, New Georgia, Solomon Islands.
Buried: Manila American Cemetery – Plot A, Row 14, Grave 149
Awards: Purple Heart
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1920 United States Federal Census (05 March 1920): Old Store Township, Chesterfield County, South Carolina (sheet 16B, family 283, Charlesfield and Smiester Road) – Herbert Knight Jr (1/12 South Carolina).
1930 United States Federal Census (15 April 1930): Belmont, South Point Township, Gaston County, North Carolina (sheet 20A, family 385, 36 Limestone Drive, Belmont Processing Company) – Dwight Knight (10 South Carolina).
1940 United States Federal Census (11 April 1940): White Store Township, Anson County, North Carolina (sheet 6B, household 385) – Dwight H. Knight (20 South Carolina, farm laborer). His family had lived in rural Mecklenburg County, North Carolina in 1935. Dwight had completed 8th grade.
Herbert Dwight Knight (21, born 24 December 1919 Pageland, South Carolina), a resident of 604 East Ninth Street, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, signed up for his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. S115, Order No. S-3542) on 01 July 1941 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He was an employee of the Charlotte Pipe & Foundry Company. Herbert listed Andrew Knight as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 6'2" in height, 160 lbs, of light complexion, with blue eyes and brown hair.
1942 Charlotte, North Carolina, City Directory – Dwight Knight, mach opr, r112 W Worthington av
Herbert D. Knight (1919 South Carolina), a resident of Mecklemburg County, North Carolina enlisted as a Private (S/N 34211043) in the U.S. Army on 14 February 1942 at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina. His enlistment was "for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law." Herbert was single and had completed Grammar School.
Private Knight was assigned to the 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army and sent to Camp Shelby, twelve miles from Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
He participated in the Louisiana maneuvers during the months of August and September of 1941. The men of the 43d were getting their first training under simulated, near-combat conditions. In August 1942 they received orders to move to the West Coast. They traveled by troops trains to Fort Ord, near Monterey, in California, arriving on 10 September.
The 169th departed the San Francisco, California Port of Embarkation on 30 September 1942 for the South Pacific in a convoy. The 169th had a total strength of 139 officers, 5 warrant officers, and 3,138 enlisted men.
The 43d Infantry Division landed in New Zealand on 23 October 1942. The division remained in New Zealand as strategic reserve for the purpose of meeting a threatened Japanese invasion. The 169th was billeted in the vicinity of Warkworth, New Zealand. They engaged in intensive training on the island. On 28 November, the 169th arrived in Nouméa, New Caledonia and garrisoned the island while conducting intensive jungle warfare training, loading and unloading ships, and guarding Japanese prisoners of war. The 169th embarked for Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands on 15 February 1943, and two days into the voyage, the convoy was attacked by Japanese torpedo planes. On 18 February, the convoy docked at Guadalcanal and bivouacked on the island. just prior to the termination of the campaign there.
Private First Class Herbert D. Knight (S/N 34211043), Company A, 169th Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, is found aboard the high-speed transport U.S.S. SANDS (APD-13) on 21 February 1943. They were heading to the Russell Islands, also in the Solomons chain. On 23–24 February, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 169th made an amphibious assault on the island of Pavuvu in the Russell Islands against no resistance. The regiment's first casualties came during their occupation of Pavuvu when Japanese planes strafed their positions. For the next few months, the 169th engaged in realistic jungle warfare training and honed their battle skills before their next assignment.
The 169th was then organized as a task force with elements of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. The immediate focus was on New Georgia, "where in the fall of 1942 the Japanese had built an airfield on the southwest corner at Munda. Periodically they had used this 4700-foot runway as a launching pad for raids on Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, roughly 180 miles to the southeast. It was also used to stage through attacks from Bougainville and Rabaul, so from an American standpoint Munda had to be neutralized, and if possible captured."
Source: http://blog.usni.org/2009/10/15/the-solomons-campaign-ground-action-the-new-georgia-campaign-june-20-november-3-1943
As a part of the 43rd Infantry Division operation, the Regiment seized Rendova Island against minimal opposition on 30 June 1943. Elements of the 169th soon landed on the southern coast of New Georgia on 02 July and began to march alongside the 172nd Infantry Regiment toward Munda Point to capture the Munda Airfield there.
The assault on New Georgia was met with determined enemy resistance and the men of the 169th "were soon introduced to the harsh realities of jungle warfare."
The inexperienced 43rd Division had been handed the most difficult terrain imaginable. They had to literally cut their way through the jungle with machetes and axes. This meant an almost single-file track where only a few snipers could delay the entire column.
The 169th had known it was in trouble its first day up the Munda Trail. Its goal was a Japanese fighter base, 5 miles away by foot through jungle....That first day, a machine gun blocked the troops, and when one or two men were killed, the regiment stalled all the way back to the beach....With no real battle experience, the 169th was in the hottest spot in the Solomons.
The first night of fighting, several men of the 169th -- and other units -- walked away. Leaders estimated that the 169th lost a fourth of its 2,800 men that way in the next few weeks, and the Allies lost about 1,600 men overall to the condition, which they called war neurosis or battle fatigue.
"We had a tough fight on New Georgia, we really did," says Higgins, the supply officer. "The regiment got a lot of bad publicity about what we call war neurosis, and I think it was deserved." Source: http://articles.courant.com/1993-07-26/news/0000006888_1_new-georgia-jungle-solomon-islands
Yet even as some men walked away from the lines, the others stuck to the job. The 169th Regiment continued its westward advance parallel to the coastline. PFC Herbert Dwight Knight was one of those who continued.
10-13 July 1943
10 July 1943 During July 10, resistance increased, and it became apparent that we were approaching the enemy's major defensive line..."
11 July 1943 The 169th's drive towards Munda Airfield was completely stalled by combat casualties, fatigue, jungle diseases, and continuous rain. "...Rain turned the trail into a quagmire, and evacuation and supply were almost impossible through the knee-deep mud..."
12 July 1943 "...At this time the 169th Infantry, under extremely heavy mortar and machine gun lire had advanced to the base of the high ground commanding the approaches to Munda. This high ground was extremely well defended with fortifications. Mutually supporting pill boxes were found in many instances at ten yard intervals. Continued infiltration and night harassment by mortars slowed the progress on this front...By late afternoon on July 12, the 169th Infantry was unable to advance..."
13 July 1943 "Following an air bombardment requested for the morning of the 13th of July, the 169th Infantry, attacked a strategic hill commanding the Munda Trail. The attack was repulsed three times, but on the fourth attempt was successful."
14 July 1943 "The 169th Infantry sent patrols south to establish lateral communication with the 172d Infantry and established a trail- block at the junction of the Munda and Lambetti Trails."
15 July 1943 "The 1st Battalion, 145th Infantry, landed at Zanana early July 15, and was attached to the 43d Division. It moved west on the Munda Trail, with the mission of relieving two battalions of the 169th Infantry, then at seriously reduced strength. This battalion reached the 169th Infantry at 1700, on July 15, and remained initially in regimental reserve, pending completion of local operations.
16 July 1943 "On July 16 the division attacked on its new front, tanks reinforcing the 172d Infantry on the left. The 169th Infantry, taking advantage of its salient, enveloped on enemy strongpoint to its left front, considerably improving its position, and seizing terrain from which Munda Field could be observed." Source: The History of the 43rd Infantry Division 1941 - 1945 by Colonel Joseph E. Zimmer, Infantry (The Army and Navy Publishing Company, Baton Rouge, Louisiana), page 28.
Private First Class Herbert D. Knight was killed on 16 July 1944 somewhere on the Munda Trail. "Diagnosis: Concussion; Location: Brain (cerebral); Causative Agent: Artillery Shell fragment; shell explosion." Source: US, WWII Hospital Admission Card Files
He was first buried in the Munda Cemetery #1, New Georgia. His body was then disinterred and brought to 6928 United States Armed Forces Cemetery, Finschaffen #4, British New Guinea and buried in Grave 175.
PVT. KNIGHT'S MEMORIAL SET
Services For Soldier Killed In Pacific to Be Held Sunday Morning at Oakhurst.
Memorial services for Private Herbert Dwight Knight, who was killed in action on July 16 in the Southwest Pacific, will be held tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock at Oakhurst Baptist church.
Chaplain J.E. Scott of Morris Field will assist the pastor, Rev. W. W. Lawton, Jr., in conducting the services.
Before entering the service Private Knight was connected with the Industrial Dye Works in Charlotte. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Knight of Marshville, and the grandson of W. A. Knight, Sr. of Charlotte.
Born on December 24, 1919, Private Knight received his schooling in Pageland, South Carolina, and at Pineville. Source: The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), Saturday, 04 September 1943, page 17.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Munda Trail is the dramatic, harrowing story of green American soldiers encountering for the first time impenetrable swamps, solid rain forests, invisible coconut-log pillboxes, tenacious snipers tied into trees, torrential tropical rains, counterattack by enemy aircraft and naval guns, and the logistical nightmare of living and moving in endless mud. A carefully planned offensive quickly degenerates into isolated small-unit actions as the terrain breaks unit cohesion and leads inexperienced soldiers into deadly ambushes. As physical and psychological strains mount, Army doctors begin to define a new disease nearing epidemic proportions—combat fatigue. Men without injuries simply become useless for further fighting, the advance bogs down. Yet, over time, the scared American soldiers find their inner resolve and climb out of the psychological abyss, emerge steady and true, combat veterans at last—and victors." Source: http://www.erichammelbooks.com/books/b_munda-trail.php
The 43rd Division in New Georgia lost 581 men to battle deaths, 1,552 to war neurosis, 1,171 to malaria and 597 to other causes. A total of 2,059 were wounded. The Japanese lost about 4000 men in the 81 days of fighting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the war (between 15 May 1947 and 07 December 1947) his remains (along with 11,000 other American soldiers from the five Finschaffen cemeteries) were disinterred and brought to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (father, Mr. Herbert C. Knight), Private First Class Herbert Dwight Knight was buried in his final resting place in the 7701 Fort McKinley Military Cemetery (now known as the Manila American Cemetery) – Plot A, Row 14, Grave 149.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from North Carolina
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