Veteran shares moving story for Aviation Night

Harry Mattox’s expectations were met Nov. 7 when about 50 people attended the third annual Aviation Night at Russellville’s Municipal Airport. The event, which is held for the Cub Scouts of Russellville, kicked off at 6 p.m. with airport manager Mattox welcoming everyone and introducing the special guest speaker, Thomas McKnight.

Mattox said he had originally planned to discuss the Doolittle Raiders at the event, until he heard McKnight speak. McKnight is an Air Force veteran who has also worked for IBM and the United Nations.

“As soon as I heard his story, I knew he would be perfect to come talk to the kids,” Mattox said.

McKnight talked about different topics at the event, but the main story he told was the one that originally drew Mattox’s attention: the discovery of his relative Lt. Carroll Napier Langston Jr., who was a Tuskegee Airman.

Langston was returning from a mission in Italy June 7, 1944, when his aircraft encountered an oil pressure problem, and he was forced to evacuate. It took almost three weeks for his body to be found on a coast in Italy. A commanding officer reported that Langston appeared to have received gunshot wounds to the chest and head.

“I didn’t know if his body had been returned back to the states or not, so I started researching to find out,” McKnight said.

After a decade of researching, he discovered that Langston’s body had been returned to the United States in 1948 and had been buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Nashville, Tenn., – four years after Langston was killed. When McKnight discovered that Langston was still at the cemetery but had never received an honorary military ceremony, he set out to give him one.

The ceremony was held June 10, 2017, with an official flag fold, rifle volley and the playing of taps.

“For the first time in 73 years and three days, he received full recognition for his service,” McKnight said.

At the end of his presentation, McKnight recognized Mattox for his efforts in keeping the memory of the Tuskegee Airmen alive in the community and for helping with events and programs to honor them. He presented Mattox with an updated version of the poster containing Langston’s journey and pictures of the ceremony.