{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/north-kingstown-designated-world-war-ii-heritage-city-by-national-park-service", "North Kingstown Designated World War II Heritage City by National Park Service", "2024-09-18", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", "jackreed", "https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases", "scraper", "NORTH KINGSTOWN -- In recognition of its historic contributions to the war effort during World War II and continued patriotism, the Town of North Kingstown is being honored by the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) with the prestigious designation of being named an American World War II Heritage City.\n\nThe American World War II Heritage Cities program honors the contributions of towns, cities, counties and their citizens who stepped into the workforce to support America's war effort during World War II. Only one American World War II Heritage City can be designated in each state or territory.\n\nThe Town of North Kingstown, applied from Rhode Island, and was one of eight communities nationwide to earn the distinction this week, joining a total of 38 American World War II Heritage Cities recognized nationwide.\n\nU.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Appropriations Committee who supported North Kingstown\u2019s application, stated: \u201cRhode Island may be small, but communities across the state made a big impact during World War II. On the home front and across the sea, North Kingstown\u2019s unique contributions to the war effort stood out. The birthplace of the Seabees, cradle of the Quonset Hut, and so much more, I am pleased that North Kingstown is being recognized on the national stage for playing a critical role throughout the course of World War II. And as the town celebrates its 350th anniversary, I urge people to visit North Kingstown to see how it continues to support our troops and veterans and pay a visit to the Seabee Museum and Memorial Park, which attracts and educates visitors about the courage, resolve and ingenuity of the Seabees during war and peacetime.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Town of North Kingstown was quickly and forever transformed by its accommodation of the war demands of WWII. We are humbled to be selected as Rhode Island\u2019s only American World War II Heritage City by the U.S. National Park Service for significant contributions to our nation\u2019s history,\u201d states A. Ralph Mollis, Town Manager of the Town of North Kingstown. \u201cReceiving this distinction in the same year that we celebrate our 350th Anniversary and the U.S. Navy Seabees mark their 82nd Anniversary allows our residents and those with ties to our community to celebrate this significant designation at a unique time. I appreciate the work of those that contributed to our application and thank Senator Reed for his support.\u201d\n\nReed noted that prior to and during wartime, North Kingstown was home to Naval Air Station Quonset Point and Camp Endicott at Davisville. It was also the birthplace of the U.S. Navy Construction Battalions (popularly known as the \u201cSeabees\u201d). Seabees trained alongside pilots and combat information officers and became an invaluable asset, developing important combat infrastructure for the U.S. and Allied Forces. Additionally, it was right here in Quonset Point that the famed Quonset Hut was first developed. The Quonset Hut was manufactured as a mobile and easily-assembled building that could support the versatile needs of soldiers and military personnel, even in remote locations.\n\nToday, parts of the base continue to function as the home of the Rhode Island Air National Guard 143rd Airlift Wing.\n\n\u201cWorld War II not only impacted those who went to war, but also those who carried on the life and work of the home front\u201d said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. \u201cIt\u2019s important we remember that cities and towns both big and small made major contributions at home to the war effort, all of which helped Allied forces defeat the Axis powers.\u201d\n\nAlong with North Kingstown, the seven other communities to receive the designation today include:\n\n\u2022 Calhoun and Ouachita Counties, Arkansas\n\n\u2022 Plymouth Township, Michigan\n\n\u2022 Valley City, North Dakota\n\n\u2022 Municipality of Tinian & Aguiguan, Northern Mariana Islands\n\n\u2022 Ponca City and Kay County, Oklahoma\n\n\u2022 Sumter City and County, South Carolina\n\n\u2022 Ogden, Utah\n\nWorld War II permeated every aspect of American life and resulted in a large migration of people within the United States, according to NPS. During the war, Rhode Island workers from all over the state\u2014including many women who joined the workforce for the first time\u2014made major contributions to the war effort by manufacturing military supplies and equipment -- including torpedoes built at the Navy Torpedo Station in Newport -- and building warships, most notably the \u201cLiberty Ships\u201d produced at Providence Shipyard. Additionally, more than 500,000 U.S. Navy recruits were trained at the Newport Naval Training Station.\n\nThe World War II Heritage Cities program was established by the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019, which Senator Reed voted for, to recognize the historic importance of the United States\u2019 domestic involvement in World War II and ensure the continued preservation of a defining period in American history.\n\nOther localities that previously received the World War II Heritage Cities designation from NPS include:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/north-kingstown-designated-world-war-ii-heritage-city-by-national-park-service"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.1131690591573715, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}