[2] The airport is home to Southeastern Oklahoma State University's Aviation Sciences Institute.

During World War II, General Eaker was commander of the Eighth Air Force in England and led several historic bombing missions against targets in occupied Europe and Germany.

The City of Durant named an airfield west of town in honor of then Captain Eaker in the 1930s.

The project was funded by the Durant Industrial Authority and by a grant provided by the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission.

[1] The original design called for an air traffic control tower to be added, but that plan was later scrapped due to the cost.