H J McKnight

Title Page - South Dakota State Library

**Herschel James McKnight was born at White, South Dakota, on May 29, 1903, to Robert Henry McKnight and Emily Ann Ward McKnight. He graduated from Brookings High School in 1922. He later graduated from South Dakota State College in 1926. On April 28, 1928, at Elk Point he married Hilda Margaretta Larson. Their children are James Herschel McKnight and Jean Ann McKnight. **

In 1927 he was a boy’s athletic coach and science instructor at Orland, South Dakota Consolidated School. From 1928-1940 he was coach and science and Smith-Hughes instructor at Platte, South Dakota. From the fall of 1940 to January 1941, he was the Smith-Hughes instructor at Webster, South Dakota.

**McKnight was ordered to Ft. Omaha, NE as Captain infantry reserve from Webster, SD. He was then transferred to Ft. Knox, KY, February 13, 1941. While at Ft. Knox, he was trained in armored cavalry (tank warfare). Finally, in April of 1942, he **

sailed on the Queen Mary to Northern Ireland. After a training period there, he was shipped to North Africa with the invasion army on November 8, 1942.

On February 19, 1943, from somewhere in North Africa, Hershel wrote:

I wish to take this opportunity to thank you for the box I received from you in Platte. It stirs within one a feeling that I still am remembered in Platte, and may I take this opportunity to express my appreciation to all for the pleasant years I spent in Platte .It will be a happy day when this mess is over and those of us who are destined to come home, may return to our families.

A telegram of his being wounded in action was sent to Mrs. Herschel J. McKnight at Webster, South Dakota, on January 30, 1943.

We deeply regret to inform you report dated January 29th from northwest Africa states your husband, Major Herschel J. McKnight, infantry, was seriously wounded in action January 10th. Report further states making normal improvement. Reports will be forwarded when received.

It was signed, The Adjutant General.

**

He had caught shrapnel in his back while covering a wounded GI with his body during a German air raid in North Africa campaign in January of 1943. Later he spent many weeks in a North Africa hospital. Then he was released to John Hopkins, New York, and a military hospital in Springfield, Missouri. Hershel died at his home in De Smet, South Dakota, October 3, 1943, from a blood clot and embolism from his injuries, which impaired his heart function.

** Herschel is buried in De Smet City Cemetery, De Smet, SD. He received the Purple Heart on January 14th, 1943.He was survived by his wife Hilda M. McKnight; his son James Hershel McKnight; his daughter Jean Ann McKnight. Final comments of his family are as follows, **

“We have missed him deeply as husband, dad, and grandpa for 59 long years.”

This entry was respectfully submitted by Mr. Nicoda Pratt and Mr. Jeremy Fox, 8th grade, De Smet Middle School, De Smet, South Dakota, March 21, 2002. Information for this entry was provided by his daughter, Jean Ann McKnight-Hoffer.

Herschel McKnight (1903)