James Bernard Knighten was born December 11,1919 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At age 10 he moved to St. Louis, Missouri with his mother, brother and sister. He graduated from Sumner High School in St. Louis. He continued his education at Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana where he received his Bachelor degree.

After graduating from Dillard he worked as a waiter on the railroad that ran from Chicago to California. At the age of 21, James joined the Army for assignment to the newly established Army Air Corps Flying School at Tuskegee Institute. This program, often called the "Tuskegee Experiment," trained the first "colored" pilots in the then totally segregated military.

After 33 weeks of training Knighten graduated as a member of class SE-42-E, received his silver wings and gold bars of a second lieutenant. He holds the distinction of being one of the first eight graduates of this program.

As the 99th Fighter Squadron awaited its full complement of 28 pilots necessary for deployment as a combat unit, Lieutenant Knighten remained at Tuskegee. He received combat training in the P-40 aircraft. Subsequently, the 99th Fighter Squadron was ordered to New York and departed on the SS Mariposa in April 1943, for the North African port of Casablanca, Morocco.

Lieutenant James Knighten flew 81 combat missions in 14 months overseas. He was awarded the Air Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, and the European-Africa-Middle East Service Medal. He also received service ribbons for North Africa, Sicily, and Italy.

In May of 1945, Knighten was promoted to first lieutenant. He was honorably discharged on October 8, 1945. Anticipating separation from service, James enrolled in the New York University School of Law and studied there until February 1947. During this period, he and a group of friends published "Essence," a magazine for black women. Also in 1947, he took a job with the Federal Aviation Administration and had the distinction of being only the second black American hired as an air traffic controller.

James returned to active duty with the United States Air Force in August 25, 1950 to serve during the Korean conflict and remained to see service during the Vietnam War. He retired in 1967 as a lieutenant colonel. He followed this serving as an inspector with the FAA for the next 20 years. During these 20 years James pursued another career as the stand-up comic Jay Bernard. He worked in clubs all over the country and opened for many well known performers.

On Veterans Day, November 11, 1999, the Nevada Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. was renamed the James B. Knighten Chapter. As one of this chapter's founding members, this HONOR WAS LONG OVERDUE TO THIS PIONEERING AMERICAN WHO SERVED HIS COUNTRY WITH DISTINCTION for many, many years.

On November 10, 2000 Lt. Col. James Bernard Knighten passed away.