How the WWII Wall of Honor project expanded from Arkansas to Washington, D.C.
VA Secretary Doug Collins has a new way of honoring Veterans at VA Central Office (VACO). The WWII Veterans of the Greatest Generation that now adorn the walls at VACO stem from a project that began more than 12 years ago at the Little Rock VA Medical Center (LRVAMC), a project called, Wall of Honor.
“This Wall of Honor traveled from Arkansas to the SECVA suite as a solemn reminder that we can never lose sight of who we’re fighting for. From the Greatest Generation to our newest recruits, the mission remains the same. Deliver for Veterans. It’s an honor to have them watching over our work,” said Secretary Doug Collins.
How did the Wall of Honor make its way to D.C.? The missing link was VA photographer Eugene Russell. Late 2025, Russell reported to a medical appointment at his local VA medical center like millions of Veterans do each year. A wall decorated with unique portraits caught his eye. He walked around the corner to see dozens more, and the next corner, hundreds lining the walls. All of which were portraits of WWII Veterans holding photographs from more than 80 years ago.
Russell pulled an employee aside and asked about the portraits. He then established a line of communication and began planning to display the portraits at VACO. Over the next several weeks he worked diligently with the local public affairs officer, collecting dozens of photographs and write-ups.
The project’s roots
In fall 2013, three long-time communications staffers at LRVAMC—Brian House, Anita Plummer and Jeff Bowen—stood in front of a wall called Veterans Serving Veterans, which showcased VA employees who were also Veterans. They wanted to do something new, something that would be impactful to both staff and Veterans. Many ideas were tossed around, but in the end, they determined their focus would be on the United States’ Greatest Generation, specifically those who served during the WWII service period (Dec. 7, 1941, through Dec. 31, 1946). Their mission was to locate WWII Veterans and photograph them holding their service picture or a picture relevant to their service (such as a ship or aircraft they served on).
Little did they know, after they displayed the first 10-15 portraits of WWII Veterans on the newly minted Wall of Honor, they would never again have trouble finding WWII Veterans for the wall for the rest of their careers. From the beginning, it became a well-known initiative involving everyone that worked at Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS).
Honoring the Greatest Generation
Over the years, the project expanded from a photograph to also presenting WWII Veterans with commemorative coins, and then later a video series titled, A Lifetime of Service: WWII Veterans Stories.
Since the project’s inception in 2013, several hundred CAVHS employees have made the call to their communications office to ask if the WWII Veteran sitting in front of them has been photographed and coined. Each time, in response, the office searches diligently through its past work to see if there is a new opportunity.
Now, recently retired from VA, Bowen and Plummer reminisce with current and past staff that assisted with the project.
“I used to walk the halls and see people looking at the portraits, and I’d say, ‘Let me tell you a story,’” Plummer said, as she laughed and held back tears. “There is a story behind every portrait, and for a lot of those stories we had to do a little off-roading to get there!”
Stories ranged from a tail gunner who was shot out of a plane and landed in a hayfield to a Navy Veteran who told them he swabbed decks but asked not to tell his caregiver because she would put him to work. There was also a Veteran with a dog named Bubba who was just as much a part of the family as his own kin, among many other stories.
“When I was taking those pictures, my goal was to capture that moment in time,” Bowen recalled. “A moment in time that would cause someone to stop briefly, and you hope they will stand there for a little longer,” he recalled. “It’s humbling to me that every time I walk those halls, I see people staring at those pictures. I know it is as much the subject matter as it is the photo.”
To date, the Wall of Honor now includes 411 WWII Veterans displayed on 11 walls in both CAVHS’ main facilities (John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital in Little Rock & Eugene J. Towbin Medical Center in North Little Rock). The latest expansion of the project occupies prime real estate at VACO.
The Veterans, a vast majority who have passed, watch over VA and the care it delivers. From Veterans greeted at the door at a local VA medical center in Arkansas all the way up to the Secretary’s Office in D.C. where the highest-level decisions are made.
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I love this.
What a wonderful tribute to our Veterans. I think the VA does an amazing job!!!
It’s the BEST U.S. Government Agency in my opinion. It’s so complicated, so many different aspects of services offered…from the gazillion different forms addressing a gazillion different issues, to the Reviewers, to the Customer Service agents that answer the phones!!!!
I’m comparing The Veterans Administration to HUD, OFFICES OF ATTORNEY GENERALS, THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, AND DEPARTMENTS OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THE DMV’S, ETC.
The VA hands down out shines them all.
With the upmost respect and sincerity, everyone there should be PROUD of themselves and the part you play. I see ? you!!!
I am a Vietnam War Era veteran of the Air Force. I receive my healthcare at both CAVHS in Little Rock and North Little Rock. My Uncle served and saw combat in WWII. I never fail to be honored and humbled to be able to view the portraits of these heroes of the Greatest Generation.
My grandmother was one of the first women on the wall here at JLM. I am proud to see her picture everyday! She was a very proud Veteran and continued to support volunteering here.
How many portraits are there outside the VA Secretary’s office? Is this permanent? Can you share the information on each person? Are there any who were POWs?
In every way they were “the Greatest Generation”. Their determination forged our Country into the greatest nation on the planet. Almost all of my male relatives served in World War 2 in some capacity, fortunately they all returned from their service many bearing the burden that we now refer to as PTSD. They returned home and carried on with the resolute attitude to succeed.
Some were called to the fray in Korea while other like myself got our turn in Vietnam. Currently in my mid-seventies I wish that I had taken more time to listen and learn from that wealth of knowledge that is now gone. My memories, respect for their actions, their belief in the values and freedom that forged our world today are shared with my children and grandchildren to the best of my ability.