Determination, Coordination, Leadership

Wilmington's 12-Year Project to Become the First "American World War II Heritage City"

World War II Wilmington Home Front Heritage Coalition

March 12, 2019 – President Trump Signed Our Bill

National WWII History Preservation Program We Began

OK, Now Here’s the Outcome…

Bill Established the Preservation Program

Assigned Responsibility for Program and Designating Cities to Secretary of the Interior

Delegated Procedures and Administration to National Park Service

16-plus Months After Bill Signed, NPS Has Not Posted Online Nomination Process

…With a First Down, and Lots of Clock Time Left

We Started It….Took the Lead …. Organized All the Work

Wilmington Exceeds Meeting Both Criteria

We Have Earned the Honor of Being “The First” --- Because of Wilmington’s Initiative, America Has a WWII Heritage Cities Program!

The Idea Was Wilmington’s…

Sponsored and Led in Congress by Senator Thom Tillis and Congressman David Rouzer

Bill Culminated Objective #1 of Wilmington’s 12-Year Project Seeking National Recognition

Senator Tillis Congressman Rouzer

Senator Tillis and Congressman Rouzerare the Heavy Lifters

Huge Advance for PreservingWorld War II History in Wilmington…

in North Carolina…and America

February 26, 2019 - Bill Passed Both Houses

From Rouzer:“Capt. Jones, I am happy to inform you that last night the Natural Resources Management Act which included our bill text establishing WWII Heritage Cities…was passed by the House of Representatives….We are now the closest we’ve ever been to having this become a reality.

S.47 – a.k.a. John D. Dingell, Jr., Act Public Law 116-9

Section 9007“American World War II Heritage Cities”

Criterion 1 – What did the city do for the war effort? …Built ships and planes, bases, troops, etc.

Criterion 2 – What has the city done to preserve its WWII history? …Memorials, veterans groups, events, etc.

-- Non-political, non-partisan, involves no funds

OK, When Did All of This Start?

…and Why?

Well, Actually We Began Seriously Preserving Our State’s WWII History in 1961…

…When Our Beloved Battleship North Carolina Arrived in Wilmington on Cape Fear River Forever

In 1998-99, Wilmington Renewed Preserving Our WWII History

Wartime Wilmington, 19992-Year Regional Program, 125 Events

Published Award-Winning Books

- Saved, Renovated, Restored Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center- Annual Pearl Harbor Commemorations- USO-Style Dances- Media Interviews and Presentations

-- o --

New Hanover High School

Our 2 WWII NHHS Medal of Honor Recipients Remembered

School, Park, Street, Memorials

WWII Heritage City Project Idea Conceived in 2007 -Action Underway in 2008

Hey, Why Not Proclaim Ourselves “America’s WWII City”?

…No Other City Has

Incorporated into July 2008 Rededication of Renovated-Restored Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center

…and Its Role in WWII

Project Idea Proposed, Developed, and Led by World War II Wilmington Home Front

Heritage Coalition

- City Council and County Commissioners Passed Resolutions

- Wilmington Went on Record Unofficially as “America’s WWII City”

- Southeastern N. C. Region Included

Mayor Bill Saffo – Ardent, VisibleProject Supporter Since 2008

…and Others

Since 2000, the Coalition is the Catalyst for Preserving WWII History in Wilmington and Southeastern N. C.

All-Volunteer, 501(c)(3) organization

Mission: Identify, Preserve, Interpret Rich WWII Legacy

Supporters: Elected Officials, governments, community leaders, organizationsNo Obligations, No Dues, No Meetings – Just Support

Chairman and Co-Founder: Retired U.S. Navy Captain Wilbur Jones

Website: www.wilburjones.com

Key Kickoff Event – HBHUSO/CAC Rededicated July 4, 2008 – We’re In!

Dedicated Memorials to 248 New Hanover County Dead, and to Our 39 Aviators

Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center Museum

Our Congressman Mike McIntyre Joined the Project in 2008

Work With the U.S. Congress Began

Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau an Early Enthusiast

CVB Saw Potential for Destination Tourism, Historic Attraction, Economic Gains

Communications/Public Relations Director Connie Nelson Encouraged From the Start:

Go National!

Nelson and CVB Have Stayed With the Project

Beginning in 2009, We Sought National Officials and Organizations with the Responsibility and Authority to DesignateWilmington as “America’s WWII City”

We Took Connie’s Advice and Ran…

By 2011 - McIntyre and Jones Contacted:

- President Obama- U.S. Departments of Interior/Veterans Affairs- House/Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs- National WWII Museum…National USO

- National Trust for Historic Preservation- VFW…American Legion…AMVETS- National League of Cities- Smithsonian Institution- American Battle Monuments Commission- Tom Brokaw…Bob Dole…Tom Hanks

2012 - McIntyre and Coalition Chairman Wilbur Jones Testified Before House Veterans Affairs Committee

All Said: You Probably Deserve It, but We Lack Responsibility or Authority

…and Don’t Know Who Does

So, McIntyre Said, the One Person Who Has That is the President

…3 Times Introduced Bills To Establish the Program andName Wilmington First

Meanwhile…Senator Richard BurrIntroduced Duplicate Senate Bills

- All WWII City Bills One Page- Establishes Preservation Program- Secretary of Veterans Affairs Designates- 2 Criteria for Selection- Names Wilmington as the first “American WWII City”Senator Burr

Senate leadership (D) never brought Burr’s bills to Senate floor for a vote…but McIntyre’s bills passed House (R) twice

In 2015…

Newly Elected Senator Tillis Assumed Senate Project Lead from Burr

…and Newly Elected Congressman Rouzer Assumed House Lead After McIntyre’s Retirement

Our Coalition Entered 8th Year On the Project

Back Home, Wilmington Gained Support of…

2 Governors and Numerous Key Officials and Organizations…and N. C. Congressional Delegation

Governor Beverly Perdue’s Staff:N. C. Secretary of Commerce

N. C. Secretary of Cultural & Natural ResourcesN. C. Deputy Secretary of Archives & History

Washington, D.C., Lobbyist

N.C. Representative Ted DavisN.C. Representative Susi Hamilton

N.C. Representative Danny McComasGovernor Perdue

Wilmington City Council/MayorNew Hanover County Commissioners/Chairman

Supporters Who Joined Project in 2011-14 Included:

Governor Pat McCrory

Wilmington StarNews MediaGreater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce

Wilmington International AirportHistoric Wilmington Foundation

Lower Cape Fear Historical SocietyWilmington Business Development

USS North Carolina Battleship CommissionUNC Wilmington Chancellor

WECT TV-6

Governor McCrory

Supporters Who Joined Project in 2011-14 Included:

Some of the WWII City Bills Introduced in 2010-19:

H.R. 2717 – 2011 (McIntyre)….Incorporated in H.R. 4072

H.R. 4072 – 2012 (McIntyre)

H.R. 2189 – 2013 (McIntyre)

H.R. …. -- 2015 (Rouzer)

H.R. 1512 – 2016 (Rouzer)….Incorporated in H.R. 677

H.R. 1721 – 2017 (Rouzer)

S.1401 – 2013 (Burr)

S. 1982 – 2014 (Burr)

S. … - 2015 (Tillis/Burr)

H.R. 6118 – 2018 (Rouzer)

2018-19 - Tillis/Rouzer Changed Bill….Renamed it “American WWII Heritage Cities”….Added Text….Deleted Wilmington as the First Designated….Re-introduced it

S. … – 2019 (Tillis)….Incorporated Identical Rouzer House Bill

Some of the WWII City Bills Introduced in 2010-19:

Meanwhile, Our Preservation of North Carolina History Continued

Awarded 2 Society Cups by Lower Cape Fear Historical Society for History Preservation

Monthly Veterans Meetings, Programs, Media Exposure

Staged Events for Public, Veterans, and Home Front Workers to Share Memorabilia and Memories

Designed, Produced and Distributed Some 100,000 Guide Maps of Wilmington/SENC WWII Sites

Staged Original WWII Home Front Productions

HBHUSO/CAC 75th Anniversary

Staged Annual Pearl Harbor Anniversary Ceremonies, and Periodic WWII USO-Style Dances

Replaced Damaged POW Camp Sign at 10th-Ann Sts.

Dedicated Copy of Original National WWII Memorial Giclee

Dedicated Memorials to Medal of Honor Recipients Murray and Halyburton…and WilmingtonianWWII Bomber Pilot, Lt. Gen. Boylan

HBHUSO/CAC Lobby Museum

2018 – Key Turning Point: Linked Bills to Secretary of the Interior

Interior Department Has Jurisdiction for History/Memorials

Enhanced Our Strategy

September 2018 Rouzer/Jones Testified Before House Committee on Natural Resources on His H.R. 6118.It Passed House….But No Action in Senate

Senate Turf Battles Brewed Over Which City Should Be the First : 2012-18

Washington at Work on the Nation’s Business

“Why Not Us?”- Seattle- Honolulu- New Orleans- Even Montana and Utah Interfered….

Senator Lee

Senator Mike Lee (Utah), “earmarks” opponent, put 2-year “hold” on Tillis’s WWII City bills…objecting to Wilmington.Tillis resolved issue in 2018

Representative Davis Speaker Moore

2018 - N. C. House Unanimously Passed H.B. 970 Urging Action for Wilmington as First

“American WWII Heritage City”

Bill Sponsored by Representative Ted Davis of Wilmington

Championed Through the House by SpeakerTim Moore

StarNews – July 29, 2018

Mayor Saffo and New Hanover County Commissioners Chairmen Woody White and Jonathan Barfield Sent Support Letters

Chairman Barfield

Tillis and Rouzer Staffs Continued InteractionsWith Interior

Chairman White

City/County Elected Officials and Staffs Always Strong Team Players

StarNews Has Been Super Media SupporterMarch 2019

Pam SanderTricia Vance

Ben SteelmanSi Cantwell

Scott NunnKen Blevins

…and Others

…Hundreds of Print& On-Line Articles

“First American WWII City”

Strong Support from Other MediaPublicizing Project, Including:

New York TimesRaleigh News & ObserverEncore MagazineWHQR 91.3Federal Reserve Board (Richmond) Magazine

Jon Evans, WECT Anchor

Greater Wilmington Business Journal - @wilmingtonbiz

Final Congressional Breakthrough…

Late 2018--Early 2019

Tillis and Rouzer Worked withNatural Resources Committees to

Place Our Bill as Section in Larger Resources Bill

Tillis-Rouzer Bills Combined Into Section of New 2019 Bill: S.47

Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Chair Senator Lisa Murkowski Incorporated Section in Bipartisan Omnibus Bill

February - Passed Senate and House With Scant Opposition

House Natural Resources Committee Hearing, 2018

Our WWII Heritage City Washington Team…

Rep. McIntyre: the Original Bedrock

Rep. Rouzer

So, This is Now the Law…

Here’s What the Law States:Secretary of the Interior Has Responsibility for Establishing Program and Designating Cities --

Delegated to National Park Service

Criterion 1 = Contributions by a city and environs to WWII home-front war effort:

- Defense manufacturing- War bond drives

- Wartime survival- Volunteer participation

- Civil defense preparedness- Personnel in armed forces

- Presence of camps/airfields

Here’s What the Law States:Criterion 2 = Achievements by a city and environs to preserve the heritage and legacy of its war effort contributions…and to preserve WWII history:

- Identification, preservation, restoration, interpretation of WWII structures and sites

- Establishment of museums, parks, markers- Establishment of memorials to area men

- Organizing/recognizing groups of veterans and home-front workers

- Presentation of cultural events- Public relations outreach through media and books

- Recognition & ceremonies remembering wartime events

July 2019 - Entire N. C. Congressional Delegation Signed Rouzer Letter to Interior Secretary Urging Designation of Wilmington as “The First”

Their Staffs Continue Interactions with Department of the Interior and National Park Service

Senator Tillis

Our No. 1 WWII Heritage Attraction

Impact of Being the First “American WWII Heritage City”

State and City Pride

Increase Battleship N. C. Visitation

Boost Local Economy

Enhance Cultural Appeal and Reputation

Exposure to Global WWII History Community

Preservation of North Carolina History

Destination Tourism: People Will Come Here to See WWII Connection

This Forecast is Important to Know

Let’s See The Slide Again…

Our No. 1 WWII Heritage Attraction

Impact of Being the First “American WWII Heritage City”

State and City Pride

Increase Battleship N. C. Visitation

Boost Local Economy

Enhance Cultural Appeal and Reputation

Exposure to Global WWII History Community

Preservation of North Carolina History

Destination Tourism: People Will Come Here to See WWII Connection

…Update, January 15…

National Park Service Informed Rouzer:

- Process and Criteria Development Underway- Announcement for Applications by Early Spring

Wilmington Must Apply- Selection of Cities by Early Fall

…We had a Timetable and Knew What Lay Ahead.By Early Fall, the Project Will be 12-1/2 years

Now to the Department of the Interior for Action…

Secretary David Bernhardt

Heritage Cities Program is Within Interior’s Mission to Conserve and Manage the Nation’s Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage

…Delegated Responsibility to National Park Service

…and Selection Criteria

Wilmington Awaits NPS Posting Nomination Process …so We Can Submit OurNomination

We’re Ready!Deputy Director David Vela

National Park Service Established Heritage Cities Nomination Process

Hon. Julia Olson-Boseman,Chair, New Hanover County Board of Commissioners

Hon. Bill Saffo,Mayor City of Wilmington

To Accompany Our Nomination :“On Behalf of the Residents of Wilmington and New Hanover County, North Carolina…

…We Thank You for the Opportunity to Submit Our Nomination for Designation as the First “American World War II Heritage City”