War Military | Wwii

Virginia During World War II

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Tens of thousands of recruits, officers, and sailors received training at Naval Base Norfolk.
Throughout World War II, Virginians gave their all to the war effort-joining the armed forces, producing war materials, and providing military vehicles.

Virginians found themselves directly tied to World War II when at least 40 of their number were killed the day that Pearl Harbor was bombed. And the tragedies didn't stop there. Nineteen soldiers from the small community of Bedford, Virginia, died during the storming of Normandy's beaches on D-Day near the end of the war. From beginning to end, Virginians felt the impact of being at war, and they contributed significantly to the war effort. Naval Base Norfolk played a particularly large role, supplying ships and providing training for thousands of men and women, including members of the Navy Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (Navy WAVES). Ideally situated, Naval Base Norfolk provided an East Coast naval stronghold and served as the primary docking station for the Atlantic fleet. As 300,000 Virginians donned military uniforms during the war, those at home sold stamps and bonds, sewed bandages, and produced war materials.

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In preparation for potential attacks, Virginians participated in drills and watched the skies for enemy aircraft.

 

Credit: Library of Congress
As relatives and friends left to join the armed forces, women found new roles as welders, assembly line workers, and mechanics.

 

Credit: Library of Congress
Nearly every Virginian was impacted by the war.

 

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Workers in Alexandria, Virginia, had to work with precision while creating deadly, modern torpedoes.