TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The University of Alabama Army ROTC recently held its annual McKinley Marksmanship Award Competition.

The competition, named and endowed by distinguished Alabama Corps of Cadets alumnus John K. McKinley, consists of four events -- rifle match, pistol match, combat knife throw and hatchet throw.

The winner of the $1,000 award was Cadet Scott Rowe, a senior from Norwalk Conn., who edged out Cadet Charlie Walsh, a junior from Eufaula, and freshman Cadet Ellis Thorne of Tuscaloosa, in the final event, the hatchet throw. McKinley was on hand to witness the extremely close contest for this year’s award and to offer the competitors some pointers on the art of knife and hatchet throwing.

Rowe is a geology major scheduled to graduate from UA in December. Rowe, who will be commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army upon graduation, will attend the Army ROTC National Advance Leadership Camp at Fort Lewis, Wash., in June.

McKinley, a Tuscaloosa native, earned a B.S. degree in chemical engineering at UA and a M.S. degree in organic chemistry in 1941. He was commissioned from the UA Corps of Cadets as a second lieutenant in the artillery branch of the U.S. Army Reserve. He joined Texaco Oil in May 1941 as a chemical engineer, but in August 1941 he was called to active service. He served for four-and-a-half years in the European Theater where he received the Bronze Star and various campaign medals before he was discharged as a major in November 1945. After the war, he returned to employment with Texaco where he served as chairman, president and chief executive officer.