News

Veterans honored at retreat ceremony

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Danielle Powell
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. --  With a light breeze and rustle of fallen leaves fills the air, the 14th Flying Training Wing celebrated Veterans Day Tuesday afternoon with a memorialization ceremony. 

Along with the traditional retreat ceremony, the 14th FTW dedicated the ceremonial plaza along with four streets on Columbus AFB to veterans who served this great nation that have or had local ties to Columbus. 

Wing Ceremonial Plaza was renamed for retired Lt. Col. Richard "Gene" Smith, Jr. Colonel Smith was an F-105 pilot and prisoner of war for over than five and a half years during the Vietnam War. He later served as Operations Officer and Squadron Commander of the 50th Flying Training Squadron at Columbus AFB. He is also the former Chairman of the Board of the Air Force Association and Executive Director of the Golden Triangle Regional Airport. Col. Smith received the Columbus AFB Wingman Award, the highest honor a wing commander can bestow on a civilian for support of Columbus AFB, in July, 1998 by then Colonel Jack Catton. Col. Smith currently resides in West Point, Miss. 

D Street will be renamed Harris Street in honor of retired Col. Carlyle "Smitty" Harris. Colonel Harris, was a F-105 pilot and POW in Vietnam for more than seven years where he perfected and spread a tap code that became the gold standard for communication between prisoners during the Vietnam War. Colonel Harris currently resides in Tupelo, Miss. 

B Street will be renamed Bradt Street in honor of Capt. Douglas Bradt. Captain Bradt, a graduate of Columbus pilot training class 86-04 and OV-10, F-111A and EF-111 pilot, posthumously received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart for combat actions during Operation Desert Storm. 

E Street will be renamed for Maj. William Downs. Major Downs, a graduate of Columbus pilot training class 89-07, was a B-52, C-130 and MC-130, OV-10, Russian AN-26 and AN-32, Australian N-22 and CompAir 2000 pilot and served in Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Maj. Downs was assisting the newly established Iraqi Air Force in classified and dangerous combat missions when his aircraft went down near the Iranian border on Memorial Day, 2005.

First Street will be renamed Shumake Street in honor of retired Col. Glynn Shumake. Colonel Shumake, a B-17 pilot who flew 30 combat missions in Europe during World War II, was shot down in April 1945 and was a POW in Barth, Germany and barrack mate of Staff Sgt. Rufus Ward of West Point. As a Columbus resident, he later served as a member of the Mississippi State Legislature and the House of Representatives from 1972-1987. 

Colonel Smith was in attendance to unveil the new name chiseled in the marble wall of the plaza. Colonel Harris was also in attendance to unveil the new street sign that will now mark the former D Street. 

The families of Maj. Downs and Col. Shumake were able to join the BLAZE Team to unveil the new street signs that will honor the two veterans. 

The ceremony ended with the playing of Taps by Brice Miller, followed by a T-38 flyover by Col. Smith's former squadron, 50th Flying Training Squadron.