My good friend, Ms. Marty Eddy, the Michigan State Coordinator for the National League of POW/MIA Families and Secretary/Treasurer, POW Committee of Michigan, sent this note to me as an email, today, Father’s Day 2019. It’s an appropriate message for this day and also supports the adage to never give up.
*****
Good morning, everyone. On this Father’s Day 2019, I want to share the words of the son of U.S. Air Roy A. Knight Jr., MIA over Laos on 5-19-1967, as he explains how his dad’s crash site came to be excavated, remains & artifacts recovered, and identification made 52 years after the incident. This is a strong testimony to the power of faith, family, perseverance, and the incredible work being done to bring home the missing.
COL Knight was officially accounted for on June 4, 2019.
We share the joy of this homecoming and pray for others to come.
*****
He’s coming home…
In the next few weeks, my dad, Col Roy A. Knight, Jr. will be coming back to Texas, fifty-two years after his plane was shot down while he was attacking a target in northern Laos. He was listed as Missing in Action until 1974 when all MIA’s were declared Killed in Action. Since that time, there have been visits and two excavations in the area of his crash site in an attempt to recover Dad’s remains.
In early 2018, a Special Survey Team of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) evaluated Dad’s crash site for further excavation. These very dedicated professionals, most of whom are active duty military from all branches of our armed services, included eight experts in their fields, covering disciplines ranging from explosives ordinance disposal, aircraft life support, linguists, medics, communications and forensic specialists. The Senior Recovery Expert on this team insisted that the site be excavated. Had he not been so adamant, our case would have been moved back to the bottom of the list again.
In February of this year, another 16-member Recovery Team spent almost a month on the site excavating and searching for my father’s remains. They included the Team Leader an Army Captain, a Team Sgt, a Senior Recovery Expert (Archeologist), two Explosive Ordinance Disposal airmen, a Life Support Investigator, two Medics, a photographer, a linguist, four Recovery NCO’s and two Comm personnel. They were successful in recovering various material items such as small pieces of torso harness, helmet and visor fragments, survival vest and parachute fragments among other items. Additional items recovered were small pieces of black Dymo label that were embossed with “MAJ” and “KNI” exactly as it appeared on the visor of Dad’s flight helmet. Finally, human remains were also recovered
Last week we received word that the remains recovered were indeed positively identified as Col Roy A. Knight, Jr. We cannot say enough how grateful we are to those amazing members of the Teams who made the recovery of our father possible. The risk, privation, sacrifice and miserable hard work involved in this undertaking are a testimony to the fine men and women who serve in your Armed Forces. They have been relentless in their quest to make sure that no warrior is left behind. We are so very proud of them.
My dad’s remains currently are at the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii waiting to be escorted back to the Texas he loved, to be laid to rest next to his brothers and mother and father. The escort will be an O-6 (Colonel) or higher. We will be waiting on the ramp when he arrives in Dallas. He will be buried at Holder’s Chapel (named for his grandfather who founded it) in Cool, TX, among the post oaks that grow there. This is the land where he grew up; where he hunted, trapped, fished and played ball. It’s as Texas as you can get. And it’s family.
It has been a long haul. To all those who kept the faith and the memory of Dad, “Thank You.” Your support was more meaningful than you will ever know. There will be a service with full military honors, including a flyby of fighters. We will put the word out once the arrangements have been made for his service. I expect it will be well attended.
My Dad is coming home.
Roy (the son) lived in Michigan for part of the 80s and was President of the POW Committee of Michigan when the “Michigan Remembers” POW/MIA Memorial was unveiled and dedicated on National POW/MIA Recognition Day in 1986. A job transfer took him and his family to another state in 1987.
Never give up.
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Fantastic work by dedicated professional to bring closure to the family
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Welcome home, Colonel. RIP
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Welcome home, Colonel; RIP
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Welcome home COL Knight
Slow Hand Salute
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No man left behind!
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As retired US Army Aviator with over 2 1/2 tours in RVN, Thank You recovery team.
Sent from my iPad
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To the relentless efforts of the DPAA team, another hero will come home. As a combat U. S. Marine Viet Nam veteran, my heart leaps for joy!
NEVER FORGET! SEMPER FI!
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At last! Semper Fi!
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Welcome home. May his soul and all departed, rest in peace.
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Welcome home, sir! Thank you for your service to our great country and your dedication to protect the United States of America!
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Wonderful heartfelt story.
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Good deal. Although the national league cannot be trusted per many of the families.
Again thank you goes to the DPAA JFI/JFR teams world wide. Best. Gene.
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Someday I hope they are all brought back to there loved ones. A slow salute to you sir.
Welcome home
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God bless Col. Knight and his family and the recovery teams who made his return home possible.
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A really moving narrative which describes the relief felt by a family once a lost one is identified and returned albeit almost a half century later.
As an ex-Brit serviceman, the US commitment in time, money and resources, to do this seems strange. However the thought that this aviator will get his just recognition with a funeral and fly past somehow acts as its own justification. RIP Col Knight Jr, who will now be interred in the State he called his own.
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As the sister of the last Navy pilot shot down just hours before the cease fire was signed in Vietnam, we still wait for Capt. Harley H. Hall. Thankful for your closure after a long time!
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Welcome Home COL. Knight. You saved many of life on the ground, while you sacrificed your own. May you now R.I.P. .
I Salute You Sir!
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WISH SOMEONE WOULD FIND WENDEL ALLEN GUNN CHOPPER PILOT CLASS 67-17
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I WAS HAPPY FOR THAT FAMILY
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Incredible story about a real hero!! Rest In Peace!! Welcome Home!!!
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Rest In Peace
Lest We Forget
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Welcome home sir.
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It would be nice if it could be read/ discussed in our schools. Elementary through college.
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So incredibly happy for you, the family of Col. Roy Knight, and the support group who have stayed with you all these years.
We continue to wait for an accounting of all MIA’s and POW’s still unaccounted for.., I personally wait for Capt. George Morris, shot down near Rt. 1, South of Dong Ha. Jan. 27, 1973…the day of the signing of the Paris Accords…a home town man who had much to look forward to. RIP.
. John, B Co., 1/502nd, 101st.
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Glad to see a family can finally have closure. Must be hard not really knowing what has happened to a loved one in war.
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OUTSTANDING POWERFUL AND HEART WARMING AND HEART BREAKING ALL IN ONE HAND SALUTE TO OUR HERO 👍👍💪💪✝️❤️💒🙏🙏🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🍺
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Very moving. I spent my tour in that hell hole and made it home alive. I had buddies that didn’t. I attended a memorial service for another pilot who had been lost for over 40 years. To the family of the man mentioned above, may God soothe your loss. I’m happy your dad is home at last.
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A very sad and wonderful story of a vet coming home to rest RIP
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Did his wife live in New York? I have a letter from the wife of Viet Nam veteran last name Knight. I wore his POW-MIA bracelet which I have lost throughout the years. I was pregnant with my daughter who is now 46 years old when I received the letter. I am still digging for the letter. I just remember that my Knight’s wife lived in New York when I started wearing the bracelet. Either way, may your wonderful Dad who fought valiantly for our country rest in peace. So thankful you are able to have closure and give your Dad the burial he deserves.
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Thank you for sharing your story! Welcome home Col.Knight thank you for your service and may he R.I.P.,We salute u Sir!
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It is with great joy to hear his remains are coming home . All the time I was growing up he was talked about by my father and his cousins the prayers that were prayed for all these years have been answered . I only wish Daddy was a live to see.this day. He never gave up the hope they would find him. My father was Bobby Preston Armstrong my grandmother was Rosa Knight Armstrong. Know that my prayers are going up for your family’s peace during this time .
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