Here in Fayetteville, we celebrate our military veterans who call Fayetteville and Cumberland County home.
Take a drive by North Carolina Veterans Park today, and you’ll see U.S. flags by the numbers waving in honor of our U.S. Army veterans who served at Fort Bragg or Pope Army Airfield. And also today, retired Army Col. Edna Cummings will be the featured speaker for the Blue Star Memorial Veterans Day Ceremony, which is scheduled at 11 a.m. at the park and presented by the Cross Creek-Briarwood Garden Club.
While we here honor our military members across all branches, the USS North Carolina pays homage to our Navy and Marine veterans at the World War II battleship moored in the Cape Fear River in Wilmington.
Folks in New Hanover and Brunswick counties take pride in the battleship, just as we in this community are proud of the U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum, North Carolina Veterans Park, and Freedom Memorial Park downtown.
Many Wilmington businesses recently came together to restore the landmark sign along U.S. 421 that reminds visitors the battleship is there, and all are welcome to visit and tour the old battleship.
“This sign is more than a landmark,” Jay Martin, executive director of the Battleship North Carolina Memorial, said in a news release. “It is the first welcome we extend to the hundreds of thousands of people who visit and honor the service and sacrifice of North Carolinians during World War II. Having local businesses step forward to care for it speaks volumes about the pride our community takes in this memorial and the history it preserves. We are tremendously grateful for their generosity.”
A weathered sign isn’t welcoming, and this one is exposed to year-round intense sunlight, rain, and those coastal winds. While the sign was last refreshed in 2023, periodic maintenance is necessary.
‘Symbol of Service and Sacrifice’
Pelican Prowash of Wilmington, Sherwin-Williams, and JBG Services, Painting Division came to the rescue.
“We were proud to play a part in helping freshen up a landmark that means so much to Wilmington,” Amber Buchholz, co‑owner of Pelican Prowash, said in the release. “Everyone knows that sign on 421. You see it and you immediately think of the battleship. Being able to give back and help preserve something that welcomes so many visitors was something we really wanted to do.”
Sherwin-Williams donated 14 gallons of weather-resistant paint that can withstand those harsh difficult weather conditions on the coast.
“It’s an honor for us to support the Battleship North Carolina Memorial in a hands‑on way,” Tommy Gartz said in the release. “This is a place that carries so much history and significance.” We’re glad our products can help protect part of this site from the tough weather conditions we experience here in coastal North Carolina. We’re proud to contribute materials that will help keep the entrance looking its best for years to come.”
Billie and Jerry Gunn are co-owners of JBG Services, Painting Division, in Leland.
“This ship is a symbol of service and sacrifice,” Jerry Gunn said in the release, “and donating our craftsmanship to care for its entrance sign felt like a meaningful way to honor that legacy.”
Epilogue
The USS North Carolina was bound for the scrapyard in 1960 after it was decommissioned by the Navy in 1947. We can thank the late James S. Craig of Wilmington, then-Gov. Luther Hodges, and about 700,000 schoolchildren who gave nickels, dimes, and quarters as part of a statewide “Save Our Ship” campaign for preserving the historic landmark.
The ship arrived from Bayonne, New Jersey, at the mouth of the Cape Fear River near Southport on October 2, 1961, and tugboats maneuvered it on October 3, 1961, to its home today. It was officially dedicated as a World War II memorial on April 29, 1962.
Residents from across the state came to see the battleship in 1962, and to this day I still can see myself standing with my late father and mother looking at that giant boat with wonder. Today, it’s still a historic attraction. It’s open daily including holidays from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Admission is $14 for adults (12 and older), $10 for seniors, $6 for ages 6-11 and no charge for children age 5 and under. Active, retired, military spouses and dependent admission is $10.
The USS North Carolina is a part of our state history.
“Today, the Battleship North Carolina Memorial serves as the state’s official World War II memorial,” Martin, the ship’s executive director, said in a release, “honoring the more than 11,000 North Carolinians who gave their lives during the war while preserving the history of the ship and those who served aboard.”
If you’re traveling along U.S. 421 on your way to the beach, just follow the sign, and you’ll find the old battleship waiting for you.
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.
