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WWII Heritage Cities: A Visitor’s Guide

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Understanding American WWII Heritage Cities

The World War II Heritage City Program came about from the desire to preserve and recognize cities and counties across the country that played a significant role in the war effort. The program is maintained by the U.S. National Park Service and is relatively new, with the first Heritage City of Wilmington, North Carolina being designated in 2020. Currently the list of WWII Heritage Cities numbers 38 with new places being nominated each year. Each U.S. state and territory is allotted one city for designation, ensuring the selection process only highlights the most important WWII destination in each state. Heritage cities are not only valuable in preserving the past, they also make for a great list of travel sites for anyone seeking WWII destinations stateside.

To find out more about the program and for a list of current designated cities check out the official website.

The WWII Memorial on River State in Savannah, GA, a WWII Heritage City

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Visiting America's WWII Heritage Cities

Below I have compiled a list of all of the current WWII Heritage Cities, why they made the official list and a few key sites within each. This list is a great place to start for anyone seeking to better understand how the war affected the United States and how Americans at home helped to win the war abroad.  

Please note, this list is far from an extensive collection of all of the notable WWII sites within the U.S. As the program focuses on cities and counties rather than specific sites, places such as Pearl Harbor (an undeniably important WWII site) are not listed below. 

International Friendship Bell in Oak Ridge, TN, a WWII Heritage City

Looking for more WWII sites in the U.S.? Check out my Ultimate Guide. 

Foley, Alabama

In 1942, Barin Field in Foley, Alabama opened as a naval training center. Throughout the war, the center trained thousands of U.S. Navy pilots. The town was also home to a POW camp where prisoners were assigned agriculture work in the nearby fields. 

Tempe, Arizona

Tempe was designated a WWII Heritage City as it was the home of Camp Papago Park, a POW camp which housed prisoners from the German Navy. The site became famous when a group of 25 prisoners escaped into the surrounding desert. Due to the camp’s remote location, the prisoners were all recaptured, but the event became the largest prisoner escape at an Allied POW camp.  

Calhoun and Ouachita Counties, Arkansas

These Arkansas counties were designated due to their wartime contributions in both training and manufacturing. On the production side, the Shumaker Naval Ammunition Depot manufactured and tested rockets for the U.S. Navy. Meanwhile, the Camden Airfield was busy training U.S. Army Air Force pilots. By war’s end the flight school had trained over 6,000 cadets.  

Richmond, California

Richmond’s waterfront location made it a critical spot for both ship building and transportation of wartime materials. The town’s shipyards produced 747 ships during the war and also provided repair services for damaged naval craft. 

East Hartford, Connecticut

Even before the outbreak of war, East Hartford was home to a large aircraft production plant, Pratt & Whitney. The plant would go on to produce over 360,000 engines for over 70 different types of aircraft. The plant was so important to the war effort that by the end, nearly half of all American plane engines had been produced in East Hartford. 

Wilmington, Delaware

As was the case with many of the cities on this list, Wilmington’s largest contribution to the war effort came in the form of shipbuilding. The city’s shipbuilding industry was led by the Dravo Corporation. The company primarily produced naval landing craft which were critical in the D-Day invasion of Normandy and other amphibeous operations. 

Pensacola and Escambia Counties, Florida

This area of Florida was well-known as the hub of naval aviation training long before the outbreak of WWII, a reputation that continued throughout the war. Over 28,000 Navy pilots were trained at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, including members of the “Doolittle Raid.” Many notable WWII veterans, as well as veterans of wars stretching back to the Civil War, are buried in the nearby Barrancas National Cemetery. 

Savannah and Chatham Counties, Georgia

Savannah played a critical role in the war years both in naval and air operations. The Savannah Shipyard was the site of shipbuilding as well as the transportation of war materials. Further inland in nearby Pooler was the training base for the U.S. Eighth Air Force. The “Mighty Eighth” specialized in bombing missions and were involved in the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. 

For a more detailed look at a trip to a WWII Heritage City, check out my WWII Guide to Savannah.

Evansville, Indiana

Evansville capitalized on its industrial roots during the war by shifting 80 of its factories to produce wartime materials. The city produced everything from ships to airplanes as well as clothing, medical supplies and rations. If a product was needed for the war, Evansville’s companys answered the call. 

Waterloo, Iowa

Despite its important contribution to the industrial needs of the war, today Waterloo is most closely tied to the story of the Sullivan brothers. These five brothers were all serving together aboard a light cruiser in Guadalcanal when their ship was struck and all five of the brothers were lost. Their tragic loss led to the passing of the Sole Survivor Policy as well as partially inspired the film Saving Private Ryan.

Wichita, Kansas

This Kansas city contributed up to 26,000 aircraft to the war effort, leading to its nickname, “Air Capitol of the World.” Wichita produced planes of all size and type, including over 1600 B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers. 

New Orleans, Louisiana

The city of New Orleans is most closely associated with the war effort due to one individual, Andrew Higgins. It was Higgins who designed the landing craft that would go on to bear his name. The Higgins boat was a lightweight vessel with a flat bottom which became critical to the success of amphibious operations such as the Normandy landings on D-Day. In honor of the man “who won the war for us,” the city of New Orleans is home to the National WWII Museum. 

Baltimore County, Maryland

As was the case for many east coast regions, Baltimore County, Maryland was an industrial hub before the outbreak of war. During the war years the area specialized in ship and aircraft building. Led by companies such as Bethlehem Steel and Martin Marietta, the region employed thousands of Americans, including large numbers of women and African Americans. 

Springfield, Massachusetts

While other cities were manufacturing ships and planes, Springfield focused its manufacturing on another crucial piece of wartime equipment, rifles. The Springfield Armory focused on the production of the M-1 Garand rifle, creating over 3 million of these firearms over the course of the war. 

Plymouth Township, Michigan

Many cities across the country took part in the manufacturing of large-scale pieces of equipment for the war, but Plymouth Township focused on many of the smaller mechanics that made ships and airplanes function in war. Examples of this include an external firing solution for anti-aircraft guns and electrical harnesses for bombers.  

Pascagoula, Mississippi

The city of Pascagoula was transformed overnight after the outbreak of war as workers flooded into the small town. The result of this boom can still be felt today as the vast majority of the current town was created by this influx of citizens. Workers came to this small Mississippi town in order to work in industries ranging from shipbuilding to uniform manufacturing. 

Johnson County and Warrensburg, Missouri

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, this area of Missouri became the hub for glider training. The Sedalia Glider Base trained both glider pilots and paratroopers for what would become critical missions during the war. The area was also critical in the training of naval officers as a part of the U.S. Navy’s V-12 Officer Training Program. 

Lewistown, Montana

The Lewistown Satellite Airfield was the training site for a very specific group of aviators. The airfield was responsible for training crews of the B-17 Flying Fortress. These aircraft participated in bombing campaigns across Europe and were a critical piece of the Allied war program. Today, visitors to the town can visit the only intact Norden bombsight storage shelter in the country. 

Hastings, Nebraska

In 1942 Hastings was chosen as the location for the Naval Ammunition Depot Hastings. This manufacturing facility would go on to produce forty percent of the U.S. Navy’s ammunition. Throughout the war the facility produced everything from bombs and mines to torpedoes and shells. 

Boulder City and Henderson, Nevada

The main role of Boulder City during the war was to protect the nearby Hoover Dam, a site that provided vital power and water to support the production needs of the U.S. Because of its proximity to the dam, the area became a central production site of magnesium. This chemical was used to create incendiary bombs and required ample amounts of water and power to create. 

Paterson, New Jersey

Paterson’s contribution to wartime manufacturing came in two unique sectors, engines and silk. Due to wartime rationing and lack of imports from Asia, the city stepped up to produce fifty percent of the nation’s silk during the war. It also produced engines for everything from Sherman tanks to B-17 bombers.

Los Alamos County, New Mexico

Los Alamos is one of three areas on this list with heavy ties to the Manhattan project. Beginning in 1942, thousands of world-class scientists began to descend upon this remote region of the country to, hopefully, create the world’s first atomic weapon. The team would prove successful as they ultimately produced both a uranium and plutonium type atomic bomb.

Yonkers, New York

Yonkers was another east coast manufacturing hub before the war that transitioned to the production of wartime necessities. Plants in the city produced everything from duck cloth to gloves and parachutes. The city also was home to shipyards and shipbuilding due to its deep water port.

Wilmington, North Carolina

Wilmington began its contribution to the war effort long before the U.S. officially joined as it began producing ships and materials to send to Great Britain. After the U.S. entered the war, the shipbuilding in the city continued to increase. The city’s material contribution as well as its employment of large numbers of African Americans and women led to Wilmington being the first designated WWII Heritage City upon the programs inception. 

Valley City, North Dakota

Valley City’s main contribution to the war could be found in the town’s two training programs. The first program was known as V-12 and focused on training officers of the U.S. Navy. By war’s end, over 500 officers had been trained through this program. Valley City was also home to the Cadet Nurse Corps, which trained nurses at the local teaching hospital. 

Municipality of Tinian and Aguiguan, Northern Mariana Islands

This U.S. territory in the Northern Mariana Islands marks the first entry into the program that is not located within one of the U.S. states. Following its capture from the Japanese, the U.S. built an airfield on the island known as North Field. At the time, this was the largest air field in the world and served as a launching point for the B-29 Super Fortress to reach the Japanese home islands. 

Montgomery County, Ohio

This Ohio county is home to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, one of the largest U.S. aviation training grounds of the war. The air base participated in many critical missions during the war including providing air support for the Manhattan Project. The area was also home to several important manufacturing facilities which operated around the clock during the war. 

Ponca City and Kay Counties, Oklahoma

This region of Oklahoma was best known during the war as the site of a POW camp as well as the main training facility for Native American “Code Talkers.” The POW facility at Camp Tonkawa housed German prisoners, many of whom were put to work in the nearby agricultural fields. Meanwhile, American Code Talkers were trained at the Chilocco Indian Agricultural School. These Native Americans helped send messages in their native language in order to ensure no enemy forces would be able to translate. 

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Much of Pittsburgh’s contribution to the war came in the form of troops, with the area suffering nearly 4,000 casualties. By war’s end the city also claimed eight Medal of Honor winners. Additionally, the city was a world-class producer of steel, a valuable wartime commodity.

North Kingstown, Rhode Island

North Kingstown is home to the Naval Air Station at Quonset Point. In addition to becoming a vital shipping and training facility, this station also gave its name to the quonset hut, an easily assembled building found at overseas bases across the globe. 

Sumter City and County, South Carolina

Sumter’s primary contribution to the war was its flight training. Shaw Field began as a basic training school for pilots before the U.S. entered the war. As the war progressed, it became an advanced flight school, training over 8,600 U.S. pilots including several women pilots.

Oak Ridge, Tennessee

The second Manhattan Project city on this list is Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This “Secret City” was selected to contribute to the production of the atomic bombs due to its accessibility by rail and abundance of natural resources such as water. The town’s purpose was the enrichment of uranium to be used in atomic bombs. This uranium would go on to be used in Little Boy, the first atomic bomb dropped on Japan.   

South Texas Coastal Bend Area & Corpus Christi, Texas

During the war, the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi became the largest naval training facility in the world, training over 35,000 pilots. The facility trained notable names such as George H.W. Bush and John Glenn as well as members of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services (W.A.V.E.S.). The area was also home to a POW camp for German prisoners as well as a training facility for nurses.  

Ogden City, Utah

Due to its centralized location in the country, Ogden became one of the busiest rail hubs in the nation. Both people and goods passed through the town throughout the course of the war. The town also operated one of the first POW camps in the nation which housed German and Italian prisoners. 

Bedford County, Virginia

Before D-Day, Bedford County was most well-known for its manufacturing facilities as its primary wartime contribution. However, this all changed on June 6, 1944 when thirty-four young men from this community went ashore on Omaha Beach. By day’s end, nineteen of the men were dead, with an additional four more dying during the course of the Normandy Campaign. Due to this small community’s large sacrifice, the county was honored with the National D-Day Memorial. 

Tri-Cities, Washington

The final Manhattan Project-related area on this list is Tri-Cities, Washington. This collection of cities were vital in the extraction of plutonium, the second element type used in the production of the atomic bombs. Plutonium would go on to be used in Fat Man, the second bomb dropped on Japan during the war. 

Manitowoc, Wisconsin

While many shipbuilding companies operated during the war, few focused on producing underwater craft. In addition to other craft, the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company produced submarines for the U.S. Navy during the war. Today, visitors can explore one such submarine, the USS Cobia, which was placed in the town to serve as a memorial.

Casper and Natrona County, Wyoming

Home to the Casper Army Air Base, this small Wyoming town became the training ground for B-17 and B-24 bomber groups. It was also home to the 377th Aviation Squadron, an African American unit as well as the Women’s Army Corps Provision Headquarters Company, an all-female unit. 

American WWII Heritage Cities: What's Next?

There are dozens of U.S. states and territories that do not currently contain a WWII Heritage City, but that will change as the program continues to expand. The nomination process for designating new cities opens for a couple of months towards the beginning of each calendar year. For more information on the nomination process as well as the eligibility criteria, please visit the official website.  

It won’t be long until visitor’s can seek out a WWII Heritage City in each and every U.S. state and territory. A trip to any of these cities is a great way to honor the men and women at home who helped in the war effort. Everything from shipbuilding and shipping to fundraising and scrap drives helped ensure that the United States and her allies emerged victorious.  

A Higgins boat at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, LA, a WWII Heritage City

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