Military towns across the United States are usually associated with bases, veterans, and long ties to national defense. But in 10 communities from Hawaii to Texas, local history also includes specific tragedies that left lasting marks on residents, service members, and the places themselves.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu has been tied to the U.S. military since the Navy expanded at Pearl Harbor in the early 20th century, but the city’s defining tragedy came on Dec. 7, 1941. According to the National Park Service, the attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,403 Americans and wounded 1,178 more across Oahu.
The USS Arizona alone lost 1,177 sailors and Marines during the attack, making it one of the deadliest single-ship losses in U.S. naval history. In Honolulu today, the military presence around Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam still exists alongside memorials that document the scale of that morning.
Killeen, Texas
Killeen grew alongside Fort Hood, now Fort Cavazos, and the city has repeatedly been linked to tragedies involving the Army post. On Nov. 5, 2009, 13 people were killed and more than 30 were injured in a mass shooting at Fort Hood, according to the U.S. Army.
A second major shooting happened on April 2, 2014, when three people were killed before the gunman died by suicide, the Army confirmed at the time. For Killeen residents, the base remains the area’s economic center, but those two dates are still central to the town’s modern history.
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is home to Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest naval base, but one of the area’s hardest moments came from a civilian air disaster with military ties. On July 17, 1996, TWA Flight 800 took off from nearby John F. Kennedy Airport after earlier maintenance links to military-trained personnel were discussed in reporting, though the crash itself was off Long Island and not in Norfolk…