Horace Meek Hickam Horace Meek Hickam ( August 14 , 1885 – November 5 , 1934 ) was a pioneer airpower advocate and an officer in the United States Army Air Corps . Hickam Air Force Base , Hawaii , is named in his honor . Background . The son of a lawyer , Hickam was born in Spencer , Indiana , the eldest of four children . While a student at the Indiana University , he was a member of the Indiana National Guard , then received an appointment to the United States Military Academy , where he excelled in both academics and athletics . Hickam graduated 46th in his class on 14 February 1908 was commissioned second lieutenant , 11th Cavalry , serving in Vermont 1908 – 09 , Georgia 1909 – 11 , and Texas 1911 – 13 . In 1911 , while at Fort Sam Houston , Texas , Hickam received flying training in addition to his regularly assigned duties . In January 1914 , he was transferred to the 8th Cavalry , then in the Philippines , arriving at Camp Stotsenberg in December 1913 . A year later he was promoted to fill a first lieutenant vacancy in the 7th Cavalry , also at Camp Stotsenberg , and returned with the 7th Cavalry to the United States in December 1915 to Douglas , Arizona . He served in Mexico as part of the Mexican Punitive Expedition and saw action on March 19 , 1916 at Guerrero ; April 22 , at Tomochic , Chihuahua , where he was awarded the Silver Star in an action against Villistas led by Candelario Cervantes ; and at Piojo Canyon on June 20 . In November 1916 , Hickam left the 7th Cavalry to serve as a Professor of Military Science at the University of Maine and received promotion to captain of Cavalry , in May 1917 , after the United States entered World War I . He joined the 18th Cavalry in July , but this unit was redesignated as field artillery . Air Service and Air Corps duty . Hickam ' s association with aviation began with the United States ' entry into World War I . On 22 September 1917 , he received temporary promotion to major in the Aviation Section , U . S . Signal Corps and was assigned to organize the Aviation Concentration Camp at Garden City , New York . From October 1917 to May 1918 he served as executive officer of the Aeronautical General Supply Depot and Concentration Barracks there . In May 1918 he reported to Rockwell Field , California , for pilot training and received a Junior Military Aviator rating on 16 June 1918 , as a member of the U . S . Air Service . Hickam continued advanced flying training at Dorr Field , Arcadia , Florida . From 30 September 1918 to 30 January 1919 , he was commandant of both the Pursuit School and the Aerial Gunnery School at Carlstrom Field . On January 21 , 1919 , Major Hickam was appointed chief of the Information Division , Office of the Director of Air Service , in Washington D . C . , where he supervised the first written history of the Air Service . He reverted to his permanent rank of captain on 30 June 1920 , received a promotion to major , Cavalry on 1 July , when the National Defense Act of 1920 took effect , and received a transfer to the Air Service in the grade of major on 6 August 1920 . In January 1923 , he became assistant commandant of the Advanced Flying School , Kelly Field , Texas , and commanded the 10th School Group to 1 August 1925 . In November 1925 , while a student at the Air Service Tactical School at Langley Field , Virginia , he testified on behalf of airpower and a separate Air Force before the Morrow Board , appointed by President Coolidge and chaired by Dwight Morrow to offset adverse political effects of the court martial of Billy Mitchell . After graduation from ASTS , Hickam next was a student at the Command and General Staff College ( Fort Leavenworth , Kansas ) 1926 - 27 , and at the Army War College ( Washington , D . C . ) 1927 - 28 , as preparation for a four - year detail to the War Plans Division of the General Staff . Hickam was promoted to lieutenant colonel on March 1 , 1932 , and given command of the 3rd Attack Group , based at Fort Crockett , Galveston , Texas . From February to June 1934 , during the Air Mail scandal , he commanded mail delivery operations in the Central Zone , headquartered in Chicago . On May 10 , 1926 , while a student at the ASTS , he collided in mid - air during a flight formation with fellow student , Major Harold Geiger . Hickam parachuted to safety , and narrowly escaped death . This resulted in Hickam ' s initiation into the famed " Caterpillar Club , " a fraternal order with membership based on surviving an emergency parachute jump . Hickam was killed in a landing accident at Fort Crockett , Galveston , Texas , on November 5 , 1934 . Flying a Curtiss A - 12 Shrike , " 33 - 250 " , of the 60th Service Squadron , Hickam was practicing night landings on an unlighted strip when his aircraft struck an embankment and flipped over . He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery . On May 21 , 1935 , a new flying field at Honolulu , Hawaii , was designated Hickam Field . Additionally , Veterans Of Foreign Wars Post 970 is named after Hickam . The post is located next to the Air Force Base bearing his name .