Hometown: Stearns, KY (Somerset High)
Position: G
Date of Birth: February 19, 1896
Date of Death: September 29, 1918
Additional Photos: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)
Game by Game Statistics
Kentucky Career Notes:
Multi-Sport Player [Football, Baseball and Tennis]
Left school in the spring of 1917 (Junior year) to enter military officers training
Brother-in-law of Kentucky Player Brinkley Barnett
Post-UK Career Notes:
Served in the Military
| Season | Games Played | Total Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1914-15 | 2 | 4 |
| 1916-17 | 2 | 4 |
| Total | 4 | 8 |
Obituary - Former Student Killed in France, Kentucky Kernel (November 11, 1918)
Kinne won his fame in the University largely thru his splendid athletic record. He won the hotly-contested game of the Wildcats with the University of Louisville, almost without assistance, several years ago, and to him was given the credit for the defeat of Purdue University three years ago, when he recovered the ball on a fumble by one of his opponents and carried it across the line, making the only touchdown of the game. Besides being a star of the football eleven, he was a member of the basketball and baseball teams of the University and distinguished himself in every athletic contest in which he participated.
Howard Kinne left school in the spring of 1917, in his Junior year to enter an officers' training camp.
Kinne was a good student and was popular among the students and faculty of the University. He was a member of the A.T.O. fraternity.
Louisville Ky., April 3 -- Verification of her fears that her son, Lieut. Howard Kinne, former University of Kentucky football star, was killed when his airplane was shot down behind the German lines September 29, 1918, has been received by Mrs. Nola E. Miller of 508 West Broadway. Shortly before the Armistice was signed, Mrs. Miller received a letter from one of her son's comrades in the 99th Aero Squadron detailing the last trip of the Lieutenant and his pilot, Lieut. William McElroy, of Berkley, Cal. It was not then known whether they had been killed, wounded or taken prisoner.
A telegram from the Adjutant General contained the information that Lieut. Kinne who previously had been reported missing had been killed in action, and Mrs. Miller a few days ago received a letter from Captain Powell, Commanding the 99th Squadron, telling of the death of the two young officers along with a map locating the graves on the Ferme de Madelaine near Ramagne. The letter related how the two graves had been found near the ruins of their machine and how they were identified by the Germans.
The day of the two officers' disappearance was the third successive day on which their machine had been forced to land. First it was shot down, but they escaped unhurt. Again it was forced to land among the shell holes and barbed wire because of engine trouble.
Mrs. A.L. Pratt Gets Letters from Friend of Nephew Telling of His Exploits
With His Pilot Distinguished Himself for Raking Germans From Low Altitudes
Among the names listed as "missing in action" appears that of Lieutenant Howard Kinne of Stearns, Ky. Lieutenant Kinne is well known here, having lived here several years ago and since that time has been back for visits. Lieutenant Kinne enlisted in the 99th Aero Squadron in June, 1917, and went overseas in December.
Mrs. A.L. Pratt is in receipt of the following letter from a member of the 99th in which he graphically describes the last few flights of Lieutenant Kinne, a nephew of Mrs. Pratt, the letter says in part:
Had Made Name for Himself.
"It is about two weeks since Howard with his pilot has been carried as missing. On the St. Mihiel salient his team had distinguished itself for courage and for raking a column of Germans from a very low altitude by a deadly machine gun fire; first with the pilot's gun and then with Howard's ably handled Lewises."
"In the Argonne, those two had made a name for themselves for their dashing indifference to danger combined with their ability to accomplish a difficult mission. The day before their last flight, they had been shot down just back of our lines by an enemy ground machine while doing outpost patrol at a low altitude."
Hit by Anti-Aircraft Gun.
"The day before that a 'panne' (motor trouble) had enforced a landing in shell holes and barbed wire. Of course the complete wrecking of their machine on two days consecutively did not perturb them any."
"On the afternoon when we saw them last Howard and 'Me' (Howard's pilot) took off at 2:10 p.m. Their mission was the seeking of fugitive targets and the adjustment of the fire of certain of our batteries reserved for that purpose."
"That is really all we know except that a direct hit by anti-aircraft is reported to have brought down a plane of the same type six or eight kilometers behind the German lines that same afternoon. We have advanced eight or 10 kilometers since then but no trace of the plane or the two comrades has been received."
"Whether they were brought down out of control but in safety or were shot down in flames we cannot say."
