During World War II, more than 1,000 women — the first to fly U.S. military aircraft — contributed to the war effort in the wild blue yonder.
world war II
Where to Salute North Carolinians Who’ve Served
Discover a list of military and veteran memorials where you can pay your respects across the state.
When Piedmont Airlines Ruled the Carolina Skies
Seventy years ago, a fledgling airline made its maiden flight, soaring out of Wilmington on a trajectory that would shape the future of aviation across the state.
The Liberty Armada
When America went to war in 1941, the Navy turned to Wilmington to provide ships. The city’s response helped secure victory for the Allies and left a lasting mark on the North Carolina coast.
The 1940s: The Decade of Transformation
North Carolina began the 1940s as a mainly rural, isolated state hit hard by the Great Depression. But by the end of the decade, it was a different kind of state: one we recognize as our home.
The Women Pilots of WWII
At Camp Davis in Onslow County, members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots played an integral role during World War II, and proved that women belong in the cockpit.
Boogie Woogie Redux
Letters From Home — an Andrews Sisters tribute act from the Piedmont — brings fans of the original trio to their feet with World War II-era ditties.
Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
During World War II, coastal residents turned out their lights and waited in silence for German U-boats to sink another ship. The submarines lurking in the Atlantic crippled the coast with fear and claimed nearly 5,000 lives.
Lighter Than Air
When German U-boats began to hound Allied forces, the Navy took to the sky and constructed an air station in Weeksville that built blimps — soft, quiet fighters that helped turn the Battle of the Atlantic and lift the nation to victory.
