CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT CELEBRATES DESIGNATION OF CHARLOTTE AMALIE AS AN AMERICAN WORLD WAR II HERITAGE CITY

PRESS RELEASE 

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT 

CELEBRATES DESIGNATION OF  

CHARLOTTE AMALIE AS AN AMERICAN  WORLD WAR II HERITAGE CITY 

U.S. Virgin Islands — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) issued  the following statement after the National Park Service designated Charlotte  Amalie, St. Thomas, as an American World War II Heritage City on October  16, 2026. The designation recognizes the contributions of the people of the  U.S. Virgin Islands to the nation’s World War II effort and the community’s  work to preserve that history. Congresswoman Plaskett supported the  nomination in an April 2026 letter to the National Park Service. 

“I commend the Virgin Islands State Historic Preservation Office, the St.  Thomas Historical Trust, our veterans’ organizations, and every community  member who has worked to document, protect, and teach this history. Their  efforts ensure that the sacrifices of that generation of Virgin Islanders remain  part of who we are,” said Congresswoman Plaskett. 

“This designation recognizes the service of Virgin Islanders during World  War II, and it is long overdue,” said Congresswoman Plaskett. “I was proud  to submit a letter to the National Park Service in support of Charlotte  Amalie’s nomination. St. Thomas was a critical line of defense for the  Caribbean and the Atlantic, protecting the shipping routes that sustained the  Allied war effort. Virgin Islanders enlisted in the armed forces and built and  staffed the installations that protected our waters. At home, residents  observed rationing and blackout orders and manned air-raid posts. They did  all of this while serving a country in which they lacked full representation.

That record of service has never been forgotten in the Virgin Islands, and  today the nation formally recognizes it. 

“I thank the National Park Service for acknowledging Charlotte Amalie’s  place in the American story. This honor belongs to our veterans, their  families, every Virgin Islander who answered the call, and the community  that has preserved this history,” Congresswoman Plaskett continued. 

The Virgin Islands’ strategic importance to United States national security  predates the war. In 1917, the United States purchased the Danish West  Indies from Denmark to deny Germany a foothold in the Caribbean. By the  time the United States entered World War II, Charlotte Amalie’s harbor had 

become a key hub for refueling, repairs, and logistical support. The U.S. Navy  established a submarine base at Little Krum Bay, while Bourne Field and the  seaplane base at Lindbergh Bay supported air patrols that tracked German  submarine activity. A naval hospital, a communications center at Fort  Christian, Marine Corps barracks, and coastal defenses on Water Island and  Hassel Island completed an integrated military installation that helped  protect vital supply routes through the Caribbean and to the Panama Canal.  

Charlotte Amalie continues to honor its World War II heritage through  historic preservation initiatives, memorials, educational programs, and  commemorative events. The Virgin Islands State Historic Preservation  Office documents and protects wartime military sites, including the former  submarine base and historic harbor facilities. The Virgin Islands Veterans  Memorial in Roosevelt Park and Veterans Drive along the waterfront honor  those who served, and annual Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and Transfer Day commemorations keep this history alive. 

The American World War II Heritage City program, administered by the  National Park Service, was created in 2019 by the John D. Dingell, Jr.  Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. The law allows the  Secretary of the Interior to bestow this honorary designation on only one city  or local jurisdiction in each state and territory. 

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