News Release
News Release Date: October 16, 2026
WASHINGTON — The National Park Service today announced the designation of 10 jurisdictions as 2026 American World War II Heritage Cities. The congressionally authorized program recognizes communities whose extraordinary contributions to the nation's World War II home front helped secure Allied victory and whose commitment to preserving that history continues today.
“These designations highlight the enduring legacy of service, sacrifice, innovation, and industrial achievement that helped establish the United States as the “Arsenal of Democracy” and continue to shape our national story,” said Jessica Bowron, Comptroller Exercising the Delegated Authority of the Director of the National Park Service. “The 2026 designations reinforce the role communities played across the country, from manufacturing critical military equipment to hosting strategic training facilities, and their ongoing work to preserve and interpret this history for future generations.”
The National Park Service has designated the following areas as American World War II Heritage Cities:
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City of Whittier, Alaska: Established as a strategic military port and transportation hub, Whittier supported the movement of troops and supplies through Alaska and helped sustain wartime operations in the North Pacific.
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City of Aurora, Colorado: Home to Lowry and Buckley fields, which trained tens of thousands of military personnel, while Fitzsimons General Hospital cared for wounded service members. Residents supported the war effort through civil defense, bond drives and other home-front activities.
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City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii: Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Honolulu became a vital center for Pacific operations. Civilian shipyard workers repaired damaged vessels while residents supported military personnel, civil defense and wartime production.
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Kootenai County, Idaho: Hundreds of thousands of sailors were trained at Kootenai’s Farragut Naval Training Station, while the area supported military aviation, hospital operations and wartime employment.
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City of Rockford and Winnebago County, Illinois: Camp Grant trained soldiers and medical personnel, and Machesney Airfield prepared military pilots. Local manufacturers, agricultural producers and volunteers sustained the war effort, a history now interpreted through museums and memorials.
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City of Owensboro and Daviess County, Kentucky: Local service members joined the armed forces while Ken-Rad and other employers produced essential military materials. Agricultural production, war bond campaigns and community volunteers strengthened the home front.
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City of Savage, Minnesota: Camp Savage trained Japanese American military intelligence specialists whose language skills supported Pacific operations. Nearby shipbuilding and precision manufacturing employed thousands of workers, including women, in support of the war effort.
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City of Pendleton, Oregon: Home to Pendleton Field, which trained B-25 crews later selected for the Doolittle Raid and hosted the pioneering 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, the “Triple Nickles.” Residents also supported troops, bond drives and agricultural production.
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City of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands: Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas served as a strategic Caribbean harbor and base for naval, aviation and coastal-defense operations. Residents contributed through military service, construction, civil defense and wartime support activities.
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City of South Charleston, West Virginia: The South Charleston Naval Ordnance Plant manufactured naval gun barrels and armor, while chemical plants supplied critical wartime materials. Thousands of workers, including women and African Americans, powered the city’s industrial contribution.
About the American World War II Heritage City Program
Administered by the National Park Service (NPS), the American World War II Heritage City program was signed into law by President Donald J. Trump in March 2019 as part of the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (S.47) in order to recognize and ensure the continued preservation and importance of the history of the United States involvement in World War II. The program authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to bestow this honorary designation on only one city or local jurisdiction in each state and territory.
Since 2020, designations have been made in 46 states and two territories, strengthening public understanding of the war’s local impacts and advancing preservation of historically significant sites.
Nominate Your City
Any city, or other local jurisdiction in a state without an existing designation, is eligible for this recognition. Nominations must be submitted by the highest locally elected official.
Nominations will open in early 2027. For further information, including program information and nomination guidance, please visit the American World War II Heritage Cities Program webpage.
www.nps.gov
About the National Park Service. Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov.
Last updated: October 16, 2026