Wings of Honor Museum to remember Pearl Harbor
by December 1, 2025 1:06 pm 106 views
In this photo, the USS Hoga (right) is pushing the burning USS Nevada out of the primary channel at Pearl Harbor during the Dec. 7, 1941, surprise Japanese attack. The Hoga is now being towed to the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum in North Little Rock.
The Wings of Honor Museum in Walnut Ridge will host its annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance on Saturday (Dec. 6). The museum is located at the Walnut Ridge Regional Airport.
The public is invited to attend at no cost. An informational program will be delivered and attendees will learn more about that pivotal event in America’s history.
The surprise attack killed 2,403 Americans and injured many more, and its legacy includes the mass imprisonment of Japanese-Americans. It was a moment that drew the U.S. into World War II, and it transformed America. It involved the end of its isolationism, its rise to a global superpower, and a shift in its cultural attitude toward war and women in the workplace.
“Those with memories of the impact of that period are encouraged to attend and share your stories,” said Harold Johnson, museum director.
The museum opened in 1999 to celebrate the area’s rich World War II history, Johnson said. The U.S. military thought it had found the perfect spot in Tennessee to build a pilot school after the war began. To build an airfield in the chosen spot, about 5 million cubic yards of dirt needed to be moved. It wasn’t long before a flat expanse just north of Walnut Ridge was discovered, and the Walnut Ridge Army Air Forces Basic Flying School was born.
Construction on the pilot school began in late summer in 1942. At its peak, there were more than 5,000 people living on or near the school, meaning it was larger than nearby Pocahontas or Walnut Ridge, according to information at the museum. An estimated 5,310 men entered pilot training. At least 4,641 pilots were certified. It was reported that 42 pilots lost their lives during training.
The federal government bought more than 3,000 acres to be used by the pilot school. It had three runways that spanned about 5,000 feet. The land acquisition and construction cost almost $10 million, or $160 million in today’s dollars, Johnson said.