News Release

National Park Service awards over $1.2 million to preserve sites of armed conflict

The American army landing boats at Massacre Bay during WWII in the Battle of Attu in Attu Island, Alaska.

Library of Congress

News Release Date: July 26, 2023

Contact: [e-mail]

WASHINGTON – The National Park Service (NPS) awarded $1,212,066.50 in Preservation Planning Grants today through the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP). The 10 grant recipients will help preserve battlefields and other sites of armed conflict from the east coast to Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, using these funds to conduct archeological site surveys, interpretive planning, and community outreach.  

“The diverse grants provided through American Battlefield Protection Programs help our preservation partners study and protect hundreds of years of conflict history,” said NPS Director Chuck Sams. “By supporting these localized efforts, all Americans gain the opportunity to learn from these conflicts and understand their impact on the foundation and growth of this country." 

One of the projects funded by Preservation Planning Grants this year will conduct underwater archeology and 3D modeling of military ships and aircraft destroyed during the World War II Battle of Attu in Alaska. Fought in frigid conditions, this 18-day struggle between American and Imperial Japanese forces in May of 1943 included the only land battle to be fought on North American soil during the war and, based on the number of troops engaged, was the second deadliest battle to occur in the Pacific Theatre.   

The grant recipient, Ships of Exploration and Discovery Research, will use the data collected from the project to aid future interpretation efforts on the marine section of the battlefield and increase public awareness of this historic battle.      

Today’s awards also include: 

• $69,733.00 to Ships of Exploration and Discovery for their project titled “Capturing the Carnage of War” in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. 

• $117,714.00 to the Ridgefield Historical Society for their project titled “Battle of Ridgefield Phase II [Archeology]” in Fairfield County, Connecticut.  

• $131,450.00 to the Gulf Archaeology Research Institute for their project titled “[Researching] the Battle of Micanopy” in Alachua County, Florida.  

• $140,043.85 to the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum for their project titled “Interpreting America’s WWII Aviation Battlefield” in Honolulu, Hawaii.   

• $68,189.00 to the Maryland Historical Trust, for their project titled “Reconstructing the Revolution-Era Cultural Landscapes of the Washington-Rochambeau Military Encampments” in Cecil and Harford Counties, Maryland.  

• $149,858.00 to the Trustees of Dartmouth College for their project titled “Conflict and Contestation in Colonial Maine: Archaeological Investigations at Damariscove and Pemaquid” in Lincoln County, Maine. 

• $142,340.00 to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources for their project titled “Searching for Spaces and Places 1781: General Greene Outmaneuvers General Cornwallis” and is a statewide project.  

• $147,151.00 to the Fort Ticonderoga Association for their project titled “Uncovering Liberty Hill: An American Soldiers' Camp at Ticonderoga” in Essex County, New York. 

• $124,587.65 to the East Pikeland Township for their project titled “Continental Powder Works at French Creek - Phase II Archeological Survey” in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  

• $121,000.00 to the American Battlefield Trust for their project titled “Documenting American Indian Battlefields of the Great Sioux War of 1876-1877” and will take place in Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming.   

The American Battlefield Protection Program’s Preservation Planning Grants allow the NPS to promote a broad and inclusive stewardship of battlefields and sites of armed conflict on American soil. In addition, the program administers three other grant programs: Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants and the newly authorized Battlefield Interpretation and Battlefield Restoration grants. This financial assistance generates community-driven stewardship of historic resources at the state, Tribal and local levels. 

Preservation Planning Grants are available on an annual basis. To learn more about how to apply, head to NPS ABPP’s website. For questions about NPS ABPP’s grants, contact the program at email us. 

www.nps.gov 

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 425 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.