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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Nancy Smith

Col. David T. McKnight, Col., USAF (1942-1965)

January 17, 1912 ?€“ June 30, 1999

?€?Boy, that?€™s just the beginning of a million. My flying time is now five minutes.?€?

Those words were from 17-year old Dave McKnight, written in his diary on July 20, 1929 after saving up enough money to take his first flying lesson. He took to the air at Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York where Charles Lindberg made history by taking off and safely returning from Paris just two years earlier.

Dave?€™s interest in aviation shaped his later life in many ways. In 1933 he flew a friend to Skaneateles, New York where he landed in a farmer's field, met the owner?€™s daughter, fell in love and later married her.

His aviation career began as a flight instructor in the Royal Canadian Air Force before the US joined the war effort. His flying and teaching skills, coupled with his natural leadership ability, prepared him for an extraordinary early role in organizing, training and leading B-17 aerial operations over Europe during World War II during which he flew over 42 missions with the 95th Bomb Group (H).

After completing his tour of duty in Europe, Dave convinced the Army Air Force to transfer him from bombers to a fighter command. In 1950-51 he led the 49th Fighter wing in Korea. Later he served as a faculty member at the Armed Forced Staff College in Norfolk, VA and was again a Wing Commander in the early 60?€™s on the first line of defense in Germany near the Iron Curtain during the Cold War.

Known for his quick wit and big heart, Dave never really retired. After leaving the service, he continued flying as a private pilot for a local business. He was a key player in organizing the 95th Bomb Group Memorials Foundation, Inc., a group dedicated to commemorating the sacrifices made during World War II in the fight for world freedom. Other projects that commanded much of his attention were the development and publication of the book B-17?€™s Over Berlin (edited by Ian Hawkins, available on Amazon) and the creation of several memorials to our nation?€™s flying heroes.

On May 7, 2000 the remaining veterans of the 95th Bomb Group dedicated a bench honoring Dave in the Memorial Gardens of the United States Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. Its inscription reads:

WHEN NEEDED MOST
HIS WAS THE STRENGTH THAT HELD US TOGETHER

A GREAT LEADER IN SPIRIT - IN ACTION - IN WAR - IN PEACE