In Memory of the Brave, Patriotic Young Men

Killed While Training to Serve Their Country

Designed for 5,114 military personnel, and 976 civilians, the WRAFS had three (3) 5,000-foot runways, a huge 2,775,600 sq. ft. apron, 3 large hangars, the engineering maintenance building, base engineering building, and fully equipped 203 bed hospital. Also included, 131,151-sq. ft. of office space, 119,613-sq. ft. of enclosed storage space, 49,324 sq. ft. shop space, a water plant and sewer plant designed to serve 5,000 troops, and a 10,000-man laundry. It had 2 theaters, a swimming pool, gymnasium, WAC housing, eight mess halls, dozens of enlisted-men's barracks, parachute loft, gas chamber, 260 tile-block apartments for officers, motor pool, control tower, officers' club, link-trainer buildings, fire station, several warehouses, crash station, and 9.64 miles of streets. The construction cost was $9,979,507. The 3,096.22 acres of land for the main air field cost $305,075.

On September 1, 1944 the Air Field was transferred to the Navy Department and was operated as the Marine Corps Air Facility, Walnut Ridge. The Marines trained pilots in FG-1D "Corsairs". Only 2 Squadrons trained here, and remained a very short time. Activities were winding down.

At the end of World War II, the United States was faced with disposal of the airplanes that had won the war. In 1945 and 1946, about 10,000 proud "warbirds" were flown to Walnut Ridge for disposal. Scores of new B-32 bombers, with only ferry time from the factory, joined them.

Some of the airplanes were sold to airlines, government agencies, schools, individuals and foreign governments. The remaining thousands of aircraft had the propellers, engines, radios, instruments and other accessories removed, then the wings and fuselage were chopped-up by giant shears and melted into ingots.

In 1956, during the cold war with Russia, the U.S. built several early-warning radar facilities across the southern part the country. One of these facilities, the 725^th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, was located at the Walnut Ridge Airport, on a portion of the ground originally occupied by the WRASF. The 725^th operated until 1963. Several of the radar facility buildings remain and are used by the airport.

In the late 1940s, approximately 1,100 acres of the WRAFS property were sold back to the original property owners. 121.91 acres were sold to Southern (now Williams) Baptist College for their main campus. The remaining 1,865.78 acres were given to the City of Walnut Ridge to be operated as a public airport.

The Walnut Ridge Airport Commission has made many improvements since obtaining the property in 1950, including construction of an administration building, terminal, tee hangars and factory buildings, and lighting two runways. In addition, they maintain the ramp, taxiways and three runways, and operate a non-directional radio beacon, strobe lights and localizer for instrument approaches, and providing av gas, jet fuel and a restaurant. The airport is served by a VOR, an AWOS and the Memphis ARTCC has a remote communications site on the airport.

Date Entered                       Class                                 Date Graduated                                   Number Entered

October 10, 1942                43-B                                 December 12, 1942*                          102

November 16, 1942            43-C                                 January 25, 1943                                308

December 28, 1942            43-D                                  February 28, 1943

January 30, 1943                43-E                                  April 1, 1943

March 1, 1943                    43-F -

April 3, 1943                      43-G                                  May 22, 1943

May 1, 1943                       43-H                                  June 28, 1943

May 30, 1943                     43-I -

July 2, 1943                        43-J                                   August 25, 1943

August 31, 1943                 44-A                                  November 1, 1943

                                           43-K                                 September 28, 1943

October 3, 1943                 44-B                                  December 6, 1943

November 4, 1943              44-C

December 6, 1943               44-D

                                            44-E

                                            44-F

                                            44-G

                                            44-H                               June 27, 1944**                                    245

• *Senator-Elect John McClellan Spoke
• ** Last Class
• 9 mos. After opening, WRAFS was flying more hours than any other school in the Eastern Flying Command.
• Graduation Rate at WRAFS was 87+%.
• Early June 1944 there were 210 Airplanes on the Air Field. By the end of the month, the number had dropped to 58. The phase-out had started.