- 1 3 0 ▁Her cules . ▁ ▁Little ▁Rock ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁is ▁the ▁fourth ▁largest ▁employ er ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Ark ansas , ▁with ▁a ▁local ▁economic ▁impact ▁of ▁$ 8 1 3 . 6 ▁million . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Little ▁Rock ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁was ▁author ized ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁and ▁construction ▁began ▁on ▁ 6 ▁November ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁base ▁opened ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁January ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁with ▁ 6 , 1 0 0 ▁acres ▁don ated ▁by ▁land own ers , ▁val ued ▁at ▁$ 1 . 2 ▁million ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁Communic ations ▁and ▁several ▁storage ▁buildings , ▁J AT O ▁facility , ▁ord n ance ▁ig lo os , ▁track ▁and ▁loading ▁platform ▁were ▁completed ▁by ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁and ▁the ▁base ▁was ▁opened ▁to ▁limited ▁air ▁traffic ▁on ▁ 9 ▁September ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁ ▁The ▁base ▁headquarters ▁facility ▁was ▁accepted ▁ 3 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁and ▁all ▁run ways ▁and ▁other ▁oper ational ▁concrete ▁areas ▁were ▁completed ▁by ▁January ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁base ▁was ▁officially ▁activ ated ▁by ▁Str ateg ic ▁Air ▁Command ▁( S AC ) ▁on ▁ 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁hosting ▁S AC ' s ▁ 3 8 4 th ▁Bomb ard ment ▁Wing ▁( 3 8 4 ▁B W