The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant John L. Knight (ASN: M-34048), Canadian Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Second Company, 2d Regiment, First Special Service Force, in action against the enemy near Mt. Majo, Italy, on 4 January 1944. As a member of a patrol sent out to search for the battalion wire team that had become lost during the infiltration through enemy-occupied terrain, Staff Sergeant Knight successfully located the lost group and volunteered to return through enemy lines and report that the teams had been located but was unable to lay wire forward because of enemy observation. Upon reporting to his Commanding Officer, Staff Sergeant Knight learned that the unit had suffered a large number of casualties from enemy artillery and mortar concentrations and that litter teams were sorely needed. With knowledge of the enemy having excellent observation of all routs of approach, Staff Sergeant Knight unhesitatingly volunteered to go back through the enemy lines to the location of the wire team and get the vital request for litter teams to a rear installation. During the entire trip Staff Sergeant Knight and his group were subjected to intense artillery shelling but with a high sense of responsibility and devotion to duty inspiring him, Staff Sergeant reached the forward wire installation and requested the litter teams which subsequently arrived and successfully evacuated the wounded. The action of Staff Sergeant Knight reflects great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the Allied Nations.