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'''Danny McKnight''' (born April 9, 1951) is a retired American [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]] who served in the [[United States Army]]. He is best known for his role as commander of the 3rd Battalion, [[75th Ranger Regiment (United States)|75th Ranger Regiment]] in the [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Livingston |first=Shawn |year=2010 |chapter=McKnight, Daniel |editor-last=Tucker |editor-first=Spencer C. |title=The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediamidd00tuck |url-access=limited |publisher=ABC-CLIO |page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediamidd00tuck/page/n977 784] |isbn=9781851099481}}</ref> His participation in the battle was also heavily portrayed in the film ''[[Black Hawk Down (film)|Black Hawk Down]]'', where his role was played by [[Tom Sizemore]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Rubin |first=Steven Jay |year=2011 |title=Combat Films: American Realism, 1945–2010 |url=https://archive.org/details/combatfilmsameri00rubi |url-access=limited |publisher=McFarland |page=[https://archive.org/details/combatfilmsameri00rubi/page/n266 256] |isbn=9780786458929}}</ref>
'''Danny R. McKnight''' (born April 9, 1951) is an American retired [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]] who served in the [[United States Army]]. He is best known for his role as commander of the 3rd Battalion, [[75th Ranger Regiment (United States)|75th Ranger Regiment]] in the [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Livingston |first=Shawn |year=2010 |chapter=McKnight, Daniel |editor-last=Tucker |editor-first=Spencer C. |title=The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediamidd00tuck |url-access=limited |publisher=ABC-CLIO |page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediamidd00tuck/page/n977 784] |isbn=9781851099481}}</ref> His participation in the battle was also heavily portrayed in the film ''[[Black Hawk Down (film)|Black Hawk Down]]'', where his role was played by [[Tom Sizemore]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Rubin |first=Steven Jay |year=2011 |title=Combat Films: American Realism, 1945–2010 |url=https://archive.org/details/combatfilmsameri00rubi |url-access=limited |publisher=McFarland |page=[https://archive.org/details/combatfilmsameri00rubi/page/n266 256] |isbn=9780786458929}}</ref>


==Early life==
==Early life==
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==Awards and decorations==
==Awards and decorations==
COL McKnight's awards include:<ref>{{cite web|title=COL Danny R. McKnight, USA (Ret.)|url=http://www.dannymcknight.com/biography.htm|website=dannymcknight.com|accessdate=October 19, 2020}}</ref>
COL McKnight's awards include:<ref>{{cite web|title=COL Danny R. McKnight, USA (Ret.)|url=http://www.dannymcknight.com/biography.htm|website=dannymcknight.com|accessdate=October 19, 2020}}</ref>
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|-
|-
|colspan="3" align="center" |[[File:CIB2.svg|235px]]
|colspan="6"| [[File:Us legion of merit rib1OLC.png|106px]] [[File:Bronze Star Medal ribbon with "V" device, 1st award.svg|106px]]
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|colspan="6" align="center" | [[File:Us legion of merit rib1OLC.png|106px]] [[File:Bronze Star Medal ribbon with "V" device, 1st award.svg|106px]]
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|-
|[[File:Purple Heart ribbon.svg|106px]]
|[[File:Purple Heart ribbon.svg|106px]]
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|[[File:Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svg|106px]]
|[[File:Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svg|106px]]
|[[File:National Defense Service Medal ribbon(star).png|106px]]
|[[File:National Defense Service Medal ribbon, 2nd award.svg|106px]]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|other_device=arrowhead|ribbon=Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|other_device=arrowhead|ribbon=Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
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|[[File:Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|106px]]
|[[File:Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|106px]]
|-
|-
|colspan="6" align="center" |[[File:1 star jump.svg|90px]] [[File:Pathfinder.gif|100px]]
|colspan="6"|[[File:1 star jump.svg|90px]] [[File:Pathfinder.gif|100px]]
|-
|-
|[[file:3 Ranger Battalion Shoulder Sleeve Insignia.svg|110px]]
|[[file:3 Ranger Battalion Shoulder Sleeve Insignia.svg|110px]]
|[[file:75th Ranger Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia.svg|80px]]
|[[file:Distinctive unit insignia of the 75th Ranger Regiment.svg|80px]]
|[[File:Ranger Tab.svg|90px]]
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{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
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|-
|colspan="12" align="center" |[[Combat Infantryman Badge]] with Star ''(denoting 2nd award)''
|colspan="12"|[[Combat Infantryman Badge]] with Star ''(denoting 2nd award)''
|-
|-
|colspan="6" align="center" |[[Legion of Merit]] with 1 [[Oak leaf cluster]]
|colspan="6"|[[Legion of Merit]] with 1 [[Oak leaf cluster]]
|colspan="6" align="center" |[[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] with [["V" device]]
|colspan="6"|[[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] with [["V" device]]
|-
|-
|colspan="4" align="center" |[[Purple Heart]]
|colspan="4"|[[Purple Heart]]
|colspan="4" align="center" |[[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]]
|colspan="4" align="center" |[[Commendation Medal|Army Commendation Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Commendation Medal|Army Commendation Medal]]
|-
|-
|colspan="4" align="center" |[[Achievement Medal|Army Achievement Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Achievement Medal|Army Achievement Medal]]
|colspan="4" align="center" |[[National Defense Service Medal]] with 1 [[Service star]]
|colspan="4"|[[National Defense Service Medal]] with 1 [[Service star]]
|colspan="4" align="center" |[[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] with [[Arrowhead device]]
|colspan="4"|[[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] with [[Arrowhead device]]
|-
|-
|colspan="4" align="center" |[[Humanitarian Service Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Humanitarian Service Medal]]
|colspan="4" align="center" |[[Army Service Ribbon]]
|colspan="4"|[[Army Service Ribbon]]
|colspan="4" align="center" |[[Overseas Service Ribbon|Army Overseas Service Ribbon]]
|colspan="4"|[[Overseas Service Ribbon|Army Overseas Service Ribbon]]
|-
|-
|colspan="6" align="center" |[[Parachutist Badge (United States)#Master Parachutist Badge|Master Parachutist Badge]] with [[Parachutist Badge (United States)#Combat Jump Device|1 combat star]]
|colspan="6"|[[Parachutist Badge (United States)#Master Parachutist Badge|Master Parachutist Badge]] with [[Parachutist Badge (United States)#Combat Jump Device|1 combat star]]
|colspan="6" align="center" |[[Pathfinder Badge (United States)|Pathfinder Badge]]
|colspan="6"|[[Pathfinder Badge (United States)|Pathfinder Badge]]
|-
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|colspan="4" align="center" |[[3rd Ranger Battalion]] [[Combat Service Identification Badge]]
|colspan="4"|[[3rd Ranger Battalion]] [[Combat Service Identification Badge]]
|colspan="4" align="center" |[[75th Ranger Regiment]] [[Distinctive unit insignia]]
|colspan="4"|[[75th Ranger Regiment]] [[Distinctive unit insignia]]
|colspan="4" align="center" |[[Ranger tab]]
|colspan="4"|[[Ranger tab]]
|}
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{|class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|align="center"|[[File:Expert Infantry Badge.svg|205px]]
|[[File:Expert Infantry Badge.svg|205px]]
|[[Expert Infantryman Badge]]
|[[Expert Infantryman Badge]]
|}
|}
</center>


==See also==
==See also==
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[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:United States Army colonels]]
[[Category:United States Army colonels]]
[[Category:Members of the United States Army Special Forces]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Latest revision as of 17:14, 1 February 2024

Danny McKnight
Born (1951-04-09) April 9, 1951 (age 73)
Columbus, Georgia
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service / branchUnited States Army
Years of service1973–2002
RankColonel
Commands3rd Ranger Battalion
75th Ranger Regiment
4th Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment
First United States Army
AwardsLegion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal with Valor
Purple Heart
RelationsLinda McKnight (spouse)
Other workMotivational speaker

Danny R. McKnight (born April 9, 1951) is an American retired colonel who served in the United States Army. He is best known for his role as commander of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in the Battle of Mogadishu.[1] His participation in the battle was also heavily portrayed in the film Black Hawk Down, where his role was played by Tom Sizemore.[2]

Early life

[edit]

Danny R. McKnight was born in Columbus, Georgia, on April 9, 1951. His family later moved to Rockledge, Florida, in 1959. McKnight graduated from Cocoa High School in 1969 and Brevard Community College (now Eastern Florida State College) in 1971.

Early military career

[edit]

It was during his undergraduate studies where McKnight's military career began to take shape. He was recognized as a distinguished military graduate by Florida State University in 1973, shortly after earning his bachelor's degree in management. He eventually went on to complete the Basic Officer Leaders Course and graduated from the United States Army Airborne School and Ranger School. In 1985, he earned his master's degree in higher education from the University of Florida while being simultaneously assigned as an assistant professor of military science in the university's Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps department.

Overseas deployments

[edit]

In 1989, McKnight was deployed to Panama as part of the United States invasion of Panama.

McKnight was deployed again in 1993 to Mogadishu, Somalia. During this time, he served as commander of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment as part of a special operations detachment tasked with peacekeeping operations on behalf of the United Nations security forces. It had already been the second United Nations intervention in the Somali Civil War at the time of McKnight's deployment.

Situations in Mogadishu eventually devolved and escalated, resulting in the Battle of Mogadishu. McKnight participated in the battle by commanding the 450 soldiers of the 75th Ranger Regiment and leading the coalition convoy through the city. He sustained injuries in the neck and arm during the battle.[3]

Awards and decorations

[edit]

COL McKnight's awards include:[4]

Arrowhead


Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
Legion of Merit with 1 Oak leaf cluster Bronze Star with "V" device
Purple Heart Meritorious Service Medal Army Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead device
Humanitarian Service Medal Army Service Ribbon Army Overseas Service Ribbon
Master Parachutist Badge with 1 combat star Pathfinder Badge
3rd Ranger Battalion Combat Service Identification Badge 75th Ranger Regiment Distinctive unit insignia Ranger tab
Expert Infantryman Badge

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Livingston, Shawn (2010). "McKnight, Daniel". In Tucker, Spencer C. (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts. ABC-CLIO. p. 784. ISBN 9781851099481.
  2. ^ Rubin, Steven Jay (2011). Combat Films: American Realism, 1945–2010. McFarland. p. 256. ISBN 9780786458929.
  3. ^ Circelli, Deborah (April 17, 2018). "The Battle of Mogadishu Still at Forefront of Retired Col. Danny McKnight's Mind". The Embry Riddle Newsroom. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  4. ^ "COL Danny R. McKnight, USA (Ret.)". dannymcknight.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Danny_McKnight&oldid=1201918256"