Bill Text: IN SCR0037 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Memorializing Colonel William J. "Pete" Knight.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-03-28 - Returned to the Senate [SCR0037 Detail]
Download: Indiana-2011-SCR0037-Introduced.html
RESOLUTION No. _____
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION memorializing Colonel William
J. "Pete" Knight.
, read first time and referred to Committee on
RESOLUTION No. _____
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION memorializing Colonel
William J. "Pete" Knight.
Whereas, Fighter pilot, test pilot, astronaut, legislator,
and holder of the world's speed record in a fixed wing
aircraft, Colonel William J. "Pete" Knight, passed away on
May 7, 2004, at the age of 74;
Whereas, Pete Knight was born in Noblesville, Indiana
on November 18, 1929. He grew up during the Depression
on a farm, where he quickly learned the value of hard work
and responsibility;
Whereas, Pete Knight's parents instilled in him the value
of a good education. Consequently, he excelled academically,
but he also became a star gymnast, a horse trainer, and
displayed entrepreneurial spirit by developing his own florist
delivery service at age 13;
Whereas, After attending Butler and Purdue Universities,
Pete Knight enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1951.
He received his degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the
Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air
Force Base, Ohio in 1952;
Whereas, In 1953, Pete Knight completed his pilot training, earning his commission through the Aviation Cadet
Program. One year later, he piloted an F-89D Scorpion to
victory at the prestigious Allison Jet Trophy Race at the
Dayton National Air Show, a race that was against the best
pilots in the Air Force;
Whereas, In 1958, Pete Knight graduated from the Air
Force Experimental Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force
Base in California. He stayed on at Edwards Air Force
Base, serving as a project test pilot on the F-100, F-101, F-
104, T-38, and F-5 test flight programs;
Whereas, In 1960, Pete Knight had the distinction of
being selected as one of six test pilots to fly the X-20 Dyna-
Soar, an experimental flight project involving technologies
which contributed to Space Shuttle development;
Whereas, June 29, 1967 was a memorable day for Pete
Knight. He was climbing above 107,000 feet in the X-15, at
more than four times the speed of sound, when his plane
suffered a total electrical failure. Flying toward space
without the help of his instruments, he displayed remarkable
ingenuity under pressure when he managed to arch the plane
over at 173,000 feet, safely reentering the earth's lower
atmosphere, and gliding the aircraft to a safe emergency
landing. Remarkably, his only injury that day came when he
bumped his head climbing out of the cockpit. His impressive
feat of airmanship earned him the Distinguished Flying
Cross;
Whereas, Pete Knight's feats in flight continued on October 3, 1967 when he set the still unbroken world speed record in a fixed wing aircraft. He flew the modified X-15A- 2 to a speed of 4,520 miles per hour (Mach 6.7), or nearly twice the speed of a bullet. During his flight, the heat created by the friction exceeded 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, burning a hole in the tail of the X-15 and tearing off an engine. The exterior of the X-15 looked like "burnt firewood," according to one witness, yet Pete Knight still maneuvered the X-15 to a textbook landing;
Whereas, Pete Knight earned his astronaut's wings for piloting the X-15 into space, climbing 280,500 feet above the Earth on October 17, 1967;
Whereas, After completing the X-15 program flights, Pete
Knight received orders to head to Southeast Asia for combat.
He flew 253 missions over Vietnam during his combat tour,
including 223 missions in an F-100 Super Sabre squadron;
Whereas, Upon finishing his combat tour, Pete Knight
was assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio,
where he served as the Test Director for the new F-15 Eagle.
In 1973, he graduated from the Industrial College of the
Armed Forces;
Whereas, Pete Knight returned to Edwards Air Force
Base as Vice-Commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center
in 1973. He served the remainder of his 32-year military
career there until he retired as a full Colonel in 1982.
During his final active duty assignment, he remained an
active test pilot in the F-16 Combined Test Force;
Whereas, Pete Knight finished his military career with
more than 7,000 flying hours, in over 100 different military
and civilian aircraft. He won several honors for his service,
including the Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the
Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the
Air Medal with ten Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Harmon
International Trophy. In addition, he was inducted into the
National Aviation Hall of Fame (1988), the Aerospace Walk
of Honor (1990), and the International Space Hall of Fame
(1998);
Whereas, Upon finishing his miliary career, Pete Knight
turned to public service. He was elected to the Palmdale
City Council in 1984, then became the first popularly elected
Mayor in 1988, serving until 1992;
Whereas, In 1992, Pete Knight was elected to the
California State Assembly. In 1996, he was elected State
Senator for the 17th Senate District in California, where he
served until his passing in 2004;
Whereas, Upon his passing in 2004, Pete Knight was
survived by his wife, Gail Knight, three sons, four
stepchildren, and 15 grandchildren;
Whereas, Over 2,000 mourners attended Pete Knight's
funeral, including friends, family, fellow lawmakers,
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and fellow icons of test
flight and astronaut notoriety, such as test pilot Charles E.
"Chuck" Yeager and astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin;
Whereas, Major General Doug Pearson, commander of
the Edwards Air Force Base Flight Test Center, said upon
the passing of Pete Knight, "He was my personal hero. It's
because of Pete Knight that I stand here today. He gave me
the inspiration to reach out for the stars";
Whereas, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said of Pete
Knight, "Senator Knight's memory will live on through his
lifelong contributions to our nation's aerospace communities
and our state's public affairs. We have lost a true
Renaissance man";
Whereas, Pete Knight's legacy has endured since his
passing. Pete Knight High School was opened in Palmdale,
California. In 2007, the school celebrated its first
graduating class. In 2009, the William J. "Pete" Knight
Veterans Home of California was completed in Lancaster,
serving as a residential care facility for California veterans;
and
Whereas, Colonel William J. "Pete" Knight embodied the best of America. The native from Noblesville, Indiana was a true American hero. His record setting career as a test pilot in the Air Force and his years of public service have left an indelible mark on this country: Therefore,
SECTION 1. The Indiana General Assembly memorializes
Colonel William J. "Pete" Knight.
SECTION 2. The Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed to
transmit a copy of this Resolution to Gail Knight.
