Pause to Honor

Royle Bradford Luker 1924–1941

Today at approximately 1:00 PM, WWII Veteran Royle Luker passed  through Pottsville and Russellville on his way to the funeral home in Dardanelle.  This 17 year old young man was killed in action during the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, while serving our country. For more than 80 years, his remains were unidentified until a DNA match in 2025 finally brought him home.

Our Pope County Sheriff Wilson encouraged everyone who was able to come out along the route to show their respect and support for this American hero and his family. I honor Royle Luker’s sacrifice and welcome him home with the dignity and gratitude. He is back with family once more. 

He’ll be laid to rest near his mother! I’m sure she mourned for him all her days. The cemetery is in Plainview, AR, south of Dardanelle. 

116 men from Arkansas died in the December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor attack! Many were on the USS Arizona, but our own Royle Bradford Luker was a Fireman Third Class, USN on the USS West Virginia! The USS West Virginia was not destroyed at Pearl Harbor, though she was heavily damaged. Struck by up to nine torpedoes and two bombs, she sank in shallow water. She was later salvaged, extensively rebuilt, and returned to action in 1944, famously witnessing the Japanese surrender.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Below is the USS West Virginia in Pearl Harbor.

Obituary

Royle Bradford Luker, born on March 15, 1924, in North Little Rock, Arkansas, bravely served his country during World War II. As a Fireman Third Class in the United States Navy aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia, he gave his all and was killed in the line of duty during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. For his valor and sacrifice, he was awarded numerous honors, including the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Navy Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and Navy Expeditionary Medal. He was also recognized as a World War II Gold Star Veteran from Arkansas.

Royle is memorialized at the Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial in Hawaii, a testament to his enduring legacy. He was the beloved son of George F. Luker, a veteran of the First War, and Nettie Estelle David Luker. His family, some of whom resided in Kingston, Yell County, Arkansas, during his deployment, remembers him with pride and love.

For decades, he was listed as killed in action, but his remains were declared unidentified, or “non-recoverable”. Advances in forensic science (DNA) along with Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency were able to reopen cases and compare samples to living relatives to restore his name. More than 80 years later, DNA from Royle Luker and a family's willingness to share their DNA bridged the gap between loss and knowing. He will now be returned home and laid to rest.

He is survived by two nephews, Donald Bradford Henderson, John Luker and a niece, Becky Downen Lensing.

Graveside funeral services with Military Honors will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at New Bethel Cemetery near Plainview, Arkansas, located on Kingston Road. Royle will be laid to rest alongside his parents, George F. and Nettie Estelle Luker, honoring his memory and the sacrifices made by his family.

Arrangements by Cornwell Funeral Home in Dardanelle, Arkansas. Online Guest Book and Condolences at www.cornwellfuneralhomes.com.