Hickam, Horace Meek, COL

On May 21, 1935, Hickam Field was named in Honor of Aviation Pioneer Horace M. Meek.  It was re-named Hickam Army Air Field on May 16, 1942 and remained the same until May 31, 1946.

Colonel Hickam was killed in a landing accident at Fort Crockett, Galveston, Texas, on November 5, 1934. Flying a Curtiss A-12 Shrike, 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 Colonel Hickam. The post is located next to the Air Force Base bearing his name.

He served in Mexico as part of the Mexican Punitive Expedition and saw combat on April 22, 1916, at Tomochic, Chihuahua, where he was awarded the Silver Star in an action against Villistas led by Candelario Cervantes.