Auditorium honors WWI pilot

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Danielle Powell
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. --  The building is the same, but the name has changed. 

Friday the base theater was named the Kaye Auditorium in honor of Capt. Sam Kaye, a World War I fighter pilot. Capt. Kaye, whose name is pronounced Coy, is also a native of Columbus, Miss. Capt. Kaye has four confirmed kills from WWI. 

Shortly after receiving his silver wings, he received orders to the front that assigned him to Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker's 94th "Hat-in-the Ring" Squadron. Capt. Kaye distinguished himself for bravery as a flight commander flying patrols against the Germans. On one occasion, he attacked a formation of seven German planes despite being separated from the rest of the formation. The members of the "Hat-in-the Ring" squadron decorated their planes so the enemy came to know and fear the individual pilots of the 94th Squadron. Capt. Kaye's plane was decorated with polka dots and he was nicknamed the "Poker dot." 

Capt. Kaye received many decorations for his military service. One of those decorations was the Croix de Guerre from the French government. He was the first commander of the American Legion Tombigbee Post No. 69 in Columbus. 

Capt. Kaye died March 12, 1939 after an extended illness and is buried at Friendship Cemetery in Columbus with his wife, Louisa. 

Columbus AFB was once named after Capt. Kaye. The War Department announced the naming of Kaye Field Jan. 22, 1942. The naming took effect Feb. 24 of the same year. The name became an issue due in part to the spelling and pronunciation difference and the name of a nearby base, Key Field in Meridian, Miss. The War Department changed the name to Columbus Army Flying School in March 1942. 

Colonel Dave Gerber, 14th Flying Training Wing commander, gave the audience a brief history of Capt. Kaye during the ceremony. 

As a tribute to the heritage of Columbus AFB, special murals are painted in the entryway of the auditorium. Eugene Poole, 14th Civil Engineer Squadron and international artist, volunteered to paint the murals. The paintings include the aircraft flown at Columbus AFB. Mr. Poole will have an art exhibit at the Base Library all this month. During the ceremony Mr. Poole spoke about his murals and the dynamic illustrations that complete them. 

General William Looney, commander of Air Education and Training Command, spoke to the audience about the sacrifices that were made by Capt. Kaye. The general, who was an instructor pilot, flight commander and assistant operations officer for the 94th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Langley AFB, Va., from January 1980 to February 1983, was able to relate to Capt. Kaye. General Looney recognized Capt. Kaye's great grandson, James Hampton Tucker, who was wearing the original "Hat-in-the-Ring" pin given to the captain by Capt. Rickenbacker. 

In July, Dr. John "Jack" Kaye, who lives in Columbus at Camellia Place, donated Army Air Corps uniforms worn by Capt. Kaye in WWI. The uniform is on display at the auditorium for all to see. 

The ceremony concluded with an aerial review of all the aircraft assigned at Columbus AFB since the Korean War including an AT-6, KC-135, B-52 and a 14th Flying Training Wing composite formation of all five aircraft currently flying at CAFB.