Tony Knier remembered by family, friends

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Tony Knier stepped up to the mat to help the Manheim Central wrestling team during his sophomore year in high school.

The team didn't have a wrestler in the 98-pound class, so when Tony was asked, he joined the team, even though he had no wrestling experience.

That same spirit drew him to the Army National Guard at the age of 16. Two years later, he joined the Army.

He was serving with the 82nd Airborne Division on Oct. 21 in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated under the Humvee he and three other soldiers were riding in near Tikrit, 40 miles north of Baghdad.

The explosion instantly killed the 31-year-old sergeant first class, who was commanding the mission.

Betty Tidwell of Springfield, Tenn., Knier's mother, said military officers arrived at her daughter-in-law’s home just outside Fort Bragg, N.C., last Saturday afternoon to tell her that Knier was killed in action.

"She [Bobbi Kline Knier] called me Saturday night and said, 'Tony's dead. They killed him in Iraq.' I screamed and fell to the floor," the grieving mother said.

"Tony was in the passenger seat. The other three were thrown from the Humvee," she said. The soldier who had been riding in the back seat apparently regained consciousness and tried to pull Knier from the burning wreckage but couldn't get to him through the flames, she said.

Sgt. Knier's body was flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Tuesday and an autopsy was performed. Tidwell said her son died of massive skull fractures. His funeral will be held in Wellsboro on Tuesday.

“Being in the woods was what he loved,” his father-in-law, John Kline, told The Associated Press. “He hunted just about everything.

“I was convinced for awhile there that he was going to raise those kids there on nothing but wild meat.”

Sgt. Knier was the father of Marcus, 9, Dakota, 8, and Kayli Jo, 2.

“He was very family-oriented,” Kline said. “He loved his kids. He talked about getting out of the Army so he could be with them. He wanted to spend more time with his kids because he didn’t get to see them that much.”

Sgt. Knier left for his mission in August. His mother said it was the first time her son had been deployed overseas.

He had spent most of his military service in the states learning everything he could, she said.

He became a drill sergeant, an expert marksman, a senior parachutist, an air assault expert and a ranger, she said.

"He wanted to be the best of the best and always achieved high honors,’’ his mother said.

Those honors include the Expert Infantry Badge, a Meritorious Medal, two commendation medals, and six achievement medals.

His former wrestling coach agreed that Sgt. Knier strived to do his best. George Way, now principal at Doe Run Elementary School, said Knier was a competitor.

"The kids really had respect for him because he had never wrestled before but he came out and became part of the team,” said Way.

“The kids looked at him for inspiration."

Born in Lancaster County, Sgt. Knier also played midget football in Manheim. He and his family moved to Wellsboro, Tioga County, when he was 15. He graduated from Cowanesque Valley High School and went on active duty with the Army.

He was the son of the late Richard R. Knier Sr. He is also survived by a brother, Richard Jr.

‘Bad feeling’

"I felt bad when he was deployed," his mother said. "I had a bad feeling. I told my family and friends I didn't feel good about it."

Because of her fears, she went to North Carolina in July to spend a week with her son and his family.

"I got a lot of pictures of him with his family," she said. "While I was there, Tony said his orders had been changed to deploy in January or February, so I was relieved."

That relief was short-lived. By the time Tidwell returned home, she received a call from her son saying he was leaving in August.

As with many families, Tidwell didn't hear from her son for several weeks after his deployment.

"He called me and said the area he was in was quiet. He said he was safe but would eventually be moved. Then I didn't hear anything for awhile."

Through tears, Tidwell said she had asked her son to send her photos from Iraq. One of those photos was meant to be made into a T-shirt that would read, "Proud Mom of a soldier in Iraq." It arrived just last week.

Tidwell said her son e-mailed a friend in Wellsboro. That e-mail said there were a lot of insurgents around the post and that almost every day someone was being hit by IEDs. Childhood buddy Brett May of Manheim, who served in the Marines, was angry.

"I know he was doing what he loved to do and believed in what he was doing, but the use of an IED is pretty cowardly to me."

IEDs are buried in or around roadways and detonated as military vehicles drive over them.

May described his "best friend" as soft-spoken. "He loved military life," he said.

The friends lost contact for several years as each went into the military. About five years ago, May contacted Sgt. Knier's father and tracked his friend down.

"Of all the friends we had, Tony was the one that accomplished the most," he said.

May has been in touch with Sgt. Knier's widow, offering help. "I talked to her on Sunday [Oct. 22], and she seemed to be doing as well as can be expected. She broke down several times.’’

May is working on a photo memorial of his friend that he hopes to put up at Manheim Central High School.

"He was the only best friend I ever had," May said. "I will hold him close to my heart every day."

From Lancaster Online

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