Topics Related to World War II

Established 1 May 1941 by the U.S. Marine Corps for amphibious training. Named for Lt. Gen. John A. Lejeune, USMC, 13th Commandant, 1920-1929.

U.S. Marine Corps Air Station activated 1941 as Cunningham Field for first USMC aviator A.A. Cunningham. MCAS Cherry Point since May 1942.

Army Coast Artillery Training Center, World War II. Named for Richmond P. Davis, native of Statesville.

Coastal Patrol Base, first in N.C., opened ½ mi. S.E., in 1942. Civilian pilots supported military and patrolled for German U-boats.

"Graveyard of Atlantic." German submarines sank over 100 ships here, 1941-42, in the "Battle of Torpedo Junction." Shoals are 3 mi. south.

On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes staged a surprise attack on U.S. military forces at Pearl Harbor. Harley Jolley was enrolled in the Army Air Force and stationed at Hickam Air Field. He was asleep at 7:55 a.m. when the attack commenced.

On November 1, 1945, the Lake Lure Rest and Rehabilitation Center in Rutherford County closed.

On June 5, 1918, attacks by German U-boats began off the North Carolina coast. The raids were the first against the state by a foreign government since the War of 1812, and the initial assault lasted for four days. During that time one German submarine, U-151, sank four Allied ships.

On April 14, 1942, the destroyer USS Roper sank the German submarine U-85 off the Outer Banks between Wimble Shoals and Cape Hatteras.

On February 8, 1944, Westray Battle Boyce was promoted to lieutenant colonel and received the Legion of Merit.  Few North Carolina men, and no Tar Heel women, had a more distinguished service record in World War II than Colonel Westray Battle Boyce. In August 1942 she entered training for the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, which became a part of the Army in September 1943 when the name was changed to the Women’s Army Corps (WACs).