William Richard "Killer" Kane (4 June 1911–5 February 1957) was a United States Navy captain and World War II flying ace.

[9] While stationed aboard New York, homeported at Bremerton, Kane met local journalist Madeline Munns, whom he married on 14 June 1935.

Transferred to Fighting Squadron 2 (VF-2) on the same ship in June 1937, he returned to the Naval Academy on temporary duty as a physical training instructor and assistant football coach for the season between July and December 1938.

During the strikes against Taroa, Kane overcame poor weather conditions in leading the fighters to the island, where they destroyed numerous aircraft on the ground.

[17] For directing his fighters "skillfully and coolly against enemy air opposition," and his leadership during the earlier Taroa and Kwajalein strikes, Kane was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

[18] Bombing Squadron 10 (VB-10) commander James D. Ramage praised Kane for his leadership: "Killer was just great...he ran things very low-key but competently," as well as his radio discipline.

[19] The Enterprise continued to launch strikes against Japanese forces in the Marshall and Caroline Islands and supported the Hollandia landing, between 20 February and 30 April.

[20] While acting as coordinator of the first strike against Saipan before dawn on 16 June, Kane's Hellcat was hit by friendly fire from amphibious craft and he was forced to ditch.

Although he suffered a head injury in the crash, he was quickly picked up, but was taken off flight status temporarily, missing much of 19 June, the first day of the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

[21][22] Kane overruled the flight surgeon later that day and escorted TBF Avengers on a search mission, during which he shot down two floatplanes to gain flying ace status, bringing his total for the war to six aerial victories.

[18] After his combat tour ended, Kane succeeded Frank Wickhorst as head of the physical training program of the Naval Pre-Flight Schools,[5] which placed a heavy emphasis on football as preparation for future pilots.

Praising the program with examples from his combat service, Kane viewed football as teaching teamwork and discipline analogous to formation flying.

[25] He advocated for universal men's competitive athletics in the education system in order to ensure good physical condition, linking flying ability with the latter.

[26][27] After the end of the war, Kane returned to the Naval Academy in December 1945 as executive officer of the Department of Physical Training and later became assistant director of Athletics there.

By his brilliant airmanship, courageous initiative and daring leadership, Commander Kane contributed materially to the success of our operations in these historic actions, and his great personal valor in the face of grave peril was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.