Wilmington on Track to Become the First World War II City-- Part 2

In addition, there were three German POW camps in Wilmington and the headquarters of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was located in the city.  This line was a major mover of goods and soldiers.

The North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, at the time the state's largest employer, built 243 cargo vessels, mostly Liberty Ships.

The war brought many workers and military personnel to the city, causing severe housing shortages.

Wilbur Jones was seven and remembers listening to the announcement of the Pearl Harbor attack on te radio when it broke into the broadcast of the Philadelphia Eagle-Washington Redskin game and said that there was an emergency and all officials needed to report immediately to their offices.

Wilmington lost three men in the attack.He recently was appointed to the USS North Carolina Battleship Commission and started the effort for city recognition in 2008.

There is no one who knows more about Wilmington's role during World War II than Mr. Jones.

--GreGen

Wilmington on Track to Become the First World War II City-- Part 1

From the Oct. 29, 2013, Wilmington (NC) Star-News by Julian March.

The hard part is over.  On Monday a bill to designate at least one U.S. city a year, with Wilmington as the first one, passed the U.S. House of Representatives.  Now, it just needs passage in the Senate and a presidential signature.

The two-year effort to proclaim Wilmington as an American World War II City is the brainchild of Wilbur Jones of Wilmington, a military historian.

Wilmington lost 248 men in the war out of thousands who served.  The Air Force trained at the city's airport, the Army at Fort Fisher, the Navy at Fort Caswell and Coast Guard Wrightsville Beach.

Definitely a Deserved Honor.  --GreGen