H. Stuart Knight

H. Stuart Knight (January 6, 1921 – September 7, 2009) was the director of the United States Secret Service between 1973 and 1981. Prior to this position, Knight briefly worked as a police officer before he joined the United States Secret Service as a special agent in 1950. During his career, Knight was assigned to keep the president of the United States and vice president of the United States safe between 1951 and 1963. In this role, Knight protected the Vice President when the attack on Richard Nixon's motorcade occurred in 1958.

H. Stuart "Stu" Knight (1961)

As a director, Knight held his position when assassination attempts were made on Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan from 1975 to 1981. At the end of his directorship, Knight had worked for eight United States presidents. Outside of the Secret Service, Knight worked for Guardsmark between the mid-1980s and late 1990s. In 2001, Knight was named into a Wall of Honor for Michigan State University.

Early life and education

Knight was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, on January 6, 1921.[1] While the Great Depression in Canada was occurring, Knight spent part of his childhood living in Detroit, Michigan, with his family.[2][3] Growing up in Detroit, Knight was a newspaper hawker.[4]

For his education, Knight went to Michigan State University and attended a police program.[3] While at Michigan State, Knight received multiple medals while fighting in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II for the United States Army. These medals included the Purple Heart and Silver Star.[5] Additional education Knight completed include courses at the Federal Executive Institute and Princeton University.[6]

Career

From 1948 to 1950, Knight began his career as a police officer. For his policing experience, he primarily worked in Michigan and briefly worked in Berkeley, California.[7][8] In 1950, Knight returned to Detroit when he became a special agent for the United States Secret Service.[9] That year, Knight moved to Washington while continuing his Secret Service tenure.[10]

At Washington, Knight became part of the Secret Service in charge of keeping the president of the United States safe in 1951.[2] Knight held his protective role for Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy.[11] In 1958, Knight protected the Vice President of the United States when an attack on Richard Nixon's motorcade occurred in Venezuela.[12] In leadership roles, Knight continued to keep the vice president of the United States safe as a special agent in charge from 1961 to 1963. He then led the Special Investigations department in 1963.[8] When Lyndon B. Johnson was the United States vice president during this time period, he was accompanied by Knight during his trips.[13][11]

Between the late 1960s and early 1970s, Knight worked on counterfeit money cases for Los Angeles and Washington.[14][15] In 1971, Knight started with the Secret Service for Administration.[16] For over two years, Knight was an assistant director before he became the director of the United States Secret Service in 1973.[2] Knight was in charge of planning protection for Richard Nixon when he was to visit the Middle East as the United States president during 1974.[17]

The following year, Knight was the director of the Secret Service when assassination attempts were made on Gerald Ford in Sacramento and San Francisco during 1975.[18][19] By 1980, Knight remained with the Secret Service as director while Jimmy Carter was the president of the United States.[20] The following year, Knight continued to hold his director position when the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan occurred in March 1981.[21] That year, Knight ended his position as director in November.[22] Knight had worked for eight United States presidents by the end of his Secret Service career.[23]

Post Secret Service

In 1982, Knight said he would not write about his career as he believed it would negatively change the "respect and confidentiality between the president and the Secret Service".[11] Knight was vice-chairperson of security company Guardsmark in 1984.[23] By the late 1990s, Knight was with Guardsmark in a senior advisor position.[24] Outside of security, Knight was selected to the Virginia Lottery in 1987.[25]

Honors

Following the 1958 attack on Nixon, Knight was a recipient of the "exceptional civilian service award" from the United States Department of the Treasury.[26] In 1987, Knight went to Murray State University to present the Harry Lee Waterfield Distinguished Lecture in Public Affairs.[27] He was named into a Wall of Honor at Michigan State in their criminal justice department during 2001.[28]

Death and personal life

On September 7, 2009, Knight died in McLean, Virginia, from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was married and had five children.[1]

References
  1. Sullivan, Patricia (September 13, 2009). "Ex-director of Secret Service dies". The Herald-Palladium. The Washington Post. p. B3.
  2. "New Secret Service chief". The Ottawa Journal. Canadian Press. November 8, 1973. p. 18.
  3. McCormack, Michael (February 20, 1999). "In Vineyards speech, ex-Secret Service director will tell of protecting four U.S. presidents". The Naples Daily News. p. 3DM.
  4. "New Secret Service chief recalls days as newsboy". Enquirer and News. Battle Creek, Michigan. November 29, 1973. p. B-6.
  5. Grose, Tom (July 27, 1979). "MSU alumnus heads Secret Service". The State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. p. B-1.
  6. Alexander, Holmes (August 20, 1977). "Secret Service Fights Terrorism". Lebanon Daily News. p. 8.
  7. Doddy, Patrick L. (July 6, 1978). "Inside Look At Secret Service Given". The Marion Star. p. 12.
  8. "Knight Heads Secret Service". Oakland Tribune. November 8, 1973. p. E21.
  9. "Retired U.S. Secret Service Director H. Stuart Knight Dies" (Press release). U.S. Secret Service Media Relations. September 10, 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  10. "Secret Service job is tougher now, outgoing chief says". Detroit Free Press. Associated Press. November 30, 1981. p. 8F.
  11. McClain, Kathleen (May 1, 1982). "Top secret". Memphis Press-Scimitar. p. 13.
  12. "U. S. Agents Get Medals, Nixon Praise". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. Associated Press. July 8, 1958. p. 13.
  13. "About the Vice President". United States Senate. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  14. "$1 Million Counterfeiting Ring Closed Out by Victorville Raid". The San Bernardino County Sun. November 13, 1969. p. A-1.
  15. "Seize 'Funny' Money". Indiana Evening Gazette. Associated Press. February 18, 1971. p. 26.
  16. "Career Agent Knight Given Secret Service Top Post". Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. Associated Press. November 7, 1973.
  17. Anderson, Jack (June 15, 1974). "Nixon's Greatest Danger". News Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. p. Four.
  18. "Security For Ford Not To Be Hiked". The Register. Danville, Virginia. Associated Press. September 10, 1975. p. 2-B.
  19. "Secret Services officials agree on Moore decision". Lompoc Record. United Press International. September 30, 1975. p. 1.
  20. Pierucci, Patti (August 21, 1980). "Secret Service Man Comes To P.T. — But He Won't Tell". Echoes-Sentinel. p. E-8.
  21. "Bulletproof Vest Favored For President". The Macon News. Associated Press. April 3, 1981. p. B1.
  22. "Knight steps down as Secret Service director". The Shreveport Journal. November 30, 1981. p. 5A.
  23. Solov, Dean (March 13, 1986). "Ex-Secret Service director reflects on service to U.S.". Clarion-Ledger. p. 2B.
  24. Fazlollah, Mark (April 27, 1997). "A massive task: Security for 3 days". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. B1.
  25. "Baliles names Lottery Department". Daily Press/The Times-Herald. Newport News, Virginia. December 5, 1987. p. B3.
  26. "12 Agents Get Praise of Nixon". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. 8 July 1958. p. 1.
  27. "Harry Lee Waterfield Distinguished Lecture in Public Affairs". Murray State University. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  28. "2001 Honoress". Michigan State University School of Criminal. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
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