(Time) Pieces of History

When the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN-41) was commissioned, the "plankowner" crewmembers were each presented with a watch.

These watches were made by Timex, at the plant here in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

John P. Gil, a director at the Little Rock law firm of Gil, Elrod, Ragon, Own & Sherman, P.A., recently donated these watches to the museum. Although the watches had been stored with the batteries still in them, the folks at the Timex plant were able to get some of them running again.




Unfortunately, this officer's watch was one of the ones that could not be restored.

While having the watches repaired at the Timex plant, the origin of the watches was passed on. One of the workers actually remembered working on them.

The watches will be incorporated into our permanent exhibit on the cruiser Arkansas.