Aurora, Colorado

An American World War II Heritage City

Learn more about the American World War II Heritage City Program.

A prisoner of war camp and Fitzsimons General Hospital in the 1940s.

City of Aurora

Aurora, Colorado, had a military presence even before America’s entry into World War II. Fitzsimons General Hospital, an Army hospital, opened in 1918. After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, it received casualties from Oahu. The hospital treated as many as 5,000 patients simultaneously, including prisoners of war (POWs) from all combat regions.

Once they recovered, these POWS helped advance the region’s agriculture. Because of their work, in 1943 alone, the principal crop yield of Arapahoe County, where Aurora is located, increased by 35 percent over the prior year. This was a 249 percent increase over the yield in 1940.

Lowry Field became a training base for the Army Air Force when the photography and armament schools moved there from Chanute Field, Illinois. Lowry expanded to train bomber pilots and other auxiliary support functions. During the war, the Army Air Force at Lowry Field trained 55,000 airmen, including women and French and British servicemen.

Aurora's civilians were active and organized on the home front. They combined the funding efforts of multiple organizations into a unified “War Chest Drive.” These organizations included the United Service Organizations, Inc. (USO), War Prisoner’s Aid, and various countries’ war relief societies.

The Aurora Volunteer Firefighter Department, the Boy Scouts, and the Girl Scouts also lent their time and skills to campaigning and calling for war bond purchases. Military personnel from multiple local installations supported the city's Fifth War Bond Drive, putting on a performance of "The Fighting Fifth."

The Aurora History Museum features exhibits on World War II, lectures about the war and the home front, and guided tours through Aurora’s World War II areas like Lowry. Local landmarks like Lowry Field and Fitzsimons Hospital help preserve and share our nation’s World War II heritage.

Tags: designated american world war ii heritage city