The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Colonel (Quartermaster Corps) John Thornton Knight, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I, as Chief Quartermaster and Superintendent of the Army Transport Service at the Port of Embarkation, Newport News, Virginia, a position of great responsibility, in which he prepared ships for convoy and executed the manifold duties of his office with conspicuous merit.