Lt. Col. Alva Temple has just earned one more honor.
As part of its 70th anniversary celebration, the Columbus-Lowndes Airport Board is planning to name its terminal after the legendary Second World War fighter pilot.
Temple, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, is a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal and, in 1949, won the U.S. Air Force’s first “Top Gun” competition. A native of Carrollton, Alabama, he eventually settled in Columbus and passed away here in 2004.
Columbus Chief Operating Officer Jammie Garrett, who also sits on the airport board, explained during Thursday’s Columbus City Council work session that the board wanted to honor Temple’s service, as well as his local roots.
“The land that the airport is on currently was actually owned by (Temple),” she said. “He sold the land to the city and county. We just wanted to honor him for the work that he’s done. He was the official first Top Gun, but during that time African American fighter pilots didn’t get the recognition that they should have gotten.”
Lowndes County Board of Supervisors President Trip Hairston, also on the airport board, told The Dispatch on Friday he supports naming the terminal after Temple.
“He was a combat pilot, the whole works, and he lived right there near the airport,” Hairston said. “I can’t think of a better thing to do. We had a hero right here in our community.”
The terminal will be formally named during an anniversary celebration planned for April 28-29, Garrett said.
During the work session, Garrett also asked the council to consider financially supporting plans to bring a traveling Tuskegee Airmen exhibit to the airport.
“It’s very sought-after,” she said. “It will allow all of the children from across the county and city schools to come and learn a little bit more about history.”
The exhibit charges $12,000, she said, and she asked the council to pay half of that.
She said Airport Director Dan Duston will ask the supervisors to kick in the other half.
Hairston said he supported bringing in the exhibit.
“It’s been to Columbus Air Force Base before,” he said. “… It’s a good thing for Columbus and the airport, too, and you don’t have to worry about the restrictions of getting on the base if you want to see it.”
He said if the cost was “something reasonable” the supervisors would participate.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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