Yesterday, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Congressman David Rouzer (R-NC) attended an event with President Donald Trump and Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt at the U.S.S. North Carolina to designate the city of Wilmington, North Carolina as the first American World War II Heritage City in recognition of the immense contributions of the women and men who stepped into the workforce to support America’s war effort during World War II.

In January 2019, Senator Tillis and Congressman Rouzer introduced legislation to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to annually bestow this honorary designation on one city or local jurisdiction in each state and territory, in order to recognize and ensure the continued preservation and importance of the history of the United States involvement in World War II. In March 2019, President Trump signed into law the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act that included the legislation introduced by Senator Tillis and Congressman Rouzer.

“After years of hard work alongside Congressman Rouzer and Captain Wilbur Jones to give American cities the recognition they deserve for the important role they played in World War II, I am proud that Wilmington, North Carolina has been designated as the first American World War II Heritage City,” said Senator Tillis. “Across the nation, cities like Wilmington made significant contributions during World War II to secure America’s victory in Europe and the Pacific, and I worked with Congressman Rouzer to introduce legislation that was signed into law that would direct the Secretary of Interior to annually designate at least one city in the United States as an American World War II Heritage City. Wilmington is more than deserving as the first city to receive this designation, anchored by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company that was created as part of the U.S. government's Emergency Shipbuilding Program and built 243 ships during the five years the company operated. I am proud we were able to produce this win for the Port City, and I want to thank President Trump and Secretary Bernhardt for partnering with us to recognize Wilmington’s contributions during World War II.”

“Today is monumental for the City of Wilmington and Captain Wilbur Jones, who has worked tirelessly to make this community the very first designated as a World War II Heritage City in accordance with legislation that Senator Thom Tillis and I worked hard to get passed and signed into law,” said Congressman Rouzer. “On behalf of the citizens of Wilmington and the state of North Carolina, I want to thank President Trump and Secretary Bernhardt for their support. It is an honor to have the President make the announcement of this designation, for it is one that the City of Wilmington, Captain Jones, and so many others richly deserve — not only for preserving the history of Wilmington’s contributions to support the war effort, but for the sacrifices many North Carolinians made for the sake of our country and freedom.”

“I am proud to designate Wilmington as the nation’s first American World War II Heritage City and ensure the preservation of this important place,” said Secretary Bernhardt. “The World War II period saw an epic contribution of public service, not only in enlistment but on the home front. Cities like Wilmington, North Carolina, doubled in population thanks to its defense industries and military training sites.”

The American World War II Heritage City designations are based on specific criteria, including the contributions a city made toward the efforts to secure America’s victory in the European and the Pacific theaters during World War II, as well as the efforts made by cities to preserve the history of the their World War II contributions through the preservation of museums and organizations, restoration of facilities that helped with the war effort, and a city’s overall recognition of World War II veterans.

During World War II, Wilmington was the home of the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company. The shipyard was created as part of the U.S. government's Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Workers built 243 ships in Wilmington during the five years the company operated.

The city was the site of three prisoner-of-war (POW) camps from February 1944 through April 1946. At their peak, the camps held 550 Nazi prisoners. The first camp was located on the corner of Shipyard Boulevard and Carolina Beach Road; the old Confederate post Fort Fisher housed Nazi prisoners and also served as a training site for the Coastal Artillery and anti-aircraft units. A smaller contingent of prisoners was assigned to a smaller site, working in the officers’ mess and doing grounds keeping at Bluethenthal Army Air Field, which is now Wilmington International Airport. Bluethenthal Army Air Field was used by the United States Army Air Forces’ Third Air Force for antisubmarine patrols and training.