A surgical stapling apparatus comprising: a housing, a handle (12) supported by the housing (36), an elongated body (14) extending distally from the housing, a tool assembly (17) supported at the distal end of the elongated body (14) and having a cartridge mount (18, 218, 318, 1200) configured and adapted to support such that a staple cartridge (82, 282, 382 1220) having a plurality of fasteners can be released surgical (84, 1224) therein, and an anvil assembly (20, 220, 320, 420, 1300) having an anvil plate (70, 10 270, 370, 470, 1370) and wherein each of the anvil plate (70, 270, 370, 470, 1370) and the staple cartridge (82, 282, 382, 1220) define an elongated longitudinal groove (70b, 82c, 270b, 282c, 370b, 382c, 470b, 1234 , 1314), a surgical reinforcement (B, B1, B2) secured so that it can be released to a tissue contacting surface of at least one of the anvil plate (70, 270, 370, 470, 1370 ) and the staple cartridge (82, 282, 382 1220), where each surgical brace (B, B1, B2) is secured to at least one of the anvil mount (20, 220, 320, 420, 1300) and the cartridge mount (18, 218, 318, 1200) by a proximal anchor (S) and a distal anchor (S), and a drive mount (50, 1150) supported so that it can slide into the tool mount (17 ), the drive assembly (50, 1150) including a knife blade (66, 1156) 20 arranged so that it can slide into each elongated longitudinal slot (70b, 82c, 270b, 282c, 370b, 382c, 470b, 1234 , 1314), characterized in that the surgical stapling apparatus further comprises a release knife (74, 94, 194, 274, 294, 374, 394, 474, 1240, 1330) supported on at least one of the anvil assembly ( 20, 220, 320, 420, 1300) and the cartridge mount (18, 218, 318, 1200) at the location adjacent to the distal anchor (S), where the movement of the drive mount (50, 1150) of a A position proximal to a distal position results in the knife blade (66, 1156) thereof cutting the proximal anchor (S) and in the drive assembly (50, 1150) engaging the release knife (74, 94, 194,
