Marine Corps Air Facility Walnut Ridge

Marine Corps Air Facility Walnut Ridge Walnut Ridge Army Airfield
Located near: Walnut Ridge, Arkansas
Oblique airphoto of Walnut Ridge Army Airfield, looking northeast, taken while under construction in 1942
Marine Corps Air Facility Walnut Ridge
Coordinates	36°07′29″N 090°55′30″W / 36.12472°N 90.92500°W / 36.12472; -90.92500Coordinates: 36°07′29″N 090°55′30″W / 36.12472°N 90.92500°W / 36.12472; -90.92500
Site history
Built	1942
Built by	United States Marine Corps United States Army Air Forces
In use	1942-1945
Battles/wars	World War II

Marine Corps Air Facility Walnut Ridge is a former United States Army and United States Marine Corps airfield located in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. After it was closed, it was redeveloped into Walnut Ridge Regional Airport.

The origins of the facility date to the 1942 when Walnut Ridge was selected by the United States Army Air Corps for the establishment of a basic flying school as part of the 70,000 Pilot Training Program. It was one of many air fields created in the country’s interior during the war. Constructed though the late spring and summer, the facility was opened on 15 August 1942 as Walnut Ridge Army Airfield (AAF).

The airfield at Walnut Ridge consisted of a main 6,000 ft aligned 05/23. It also had two 5,000 ft secondary runways aligned 01/19 and 14/28; all were concrete. In addition to the main airfield, several auxiliary airfields were constructed to support the training mission:

Walnut Ridge AAF was placed under the jurisdiction of the Southeast Training Command, Army Air Forces Training Command. Its mission was the training of new pilots as part of their third-stage flight training. Training began of flight cadets in October 1943, the Army Air Forces Flying School (Basic) at Walnut Ridge primarily flew Vultee BT-13 Valiant single-engine monoplane trainers.

Training statistics show that during the period from 1 November 1942, thru 30 September 1943, the training hours flown at Walnut Ridge were 160,648. The average for all Basic Flying Schools in the Southeast Training Command was 129,474. Walnut Ridge had .49 accidents per 1000 hours versus .57 accidents per 1000 hours average for all schools; however, the fatal accident rate at Walnut Ridge was higher, .087 per 1000 hours versus a .052 average. The hours flown at Walnut Ridge through June 30, 1944, totaled 414,429. Graduates from the basic flight school then were transferred to one of Training Command's Advanced flying schools that operated AT-6 Texan Advanced trainers, and upon graduation, they were awarded their pilot's wings and commissioned as 2d lieutenants. During its operation, Walnut Ridge had over 4,600 graduates. Forty-two students and instructors died in training.

In addition to the flight school, Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) operated a major maintenance facility at Walnut Ridge. C-47 Skytrains, P-40 Warhawks, P-51 Mustangs, B-17 Flying Fortresses and later in the war, B-29 Superfortresses, which were used for training in the United States, were flown here for phase maintenance and other necessary updates as directed.