Great Seal of the State of California

Dear Virtual Visitor,

Welcome to the San Francisco Bay Area! This National Park Service Virtual Travel Itinerary will help both locals and visitors navigate the Bay Area's historical World War II treasures.

The Bay Area is renowned for its scenic beauty, great weather, and urban attractions. The Bay Area is also famous for its accessibility to the natural wonders of California's coast, redwoods, and mountains. The Bay Area is also a leader in technological innovation, an incubator for social change, and a model for cultural diversity.

World War II was profoundly felt in the San Francisco Bay Area. If America was the "Arsenal of Democracy" during those times, the Bay Area was the arsenal's shipyard. The Bay Area served as a coastal fortress, a pipeline to the Pacific, and as a center for cultural and social innovation. WWII caused so many dramatic changes in the Bay Area that the war years came to be known as the "Second Gold Rush" in California.

People from across the Nation came to the Bay Area to help the war effort. Military men and women sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge and felt much as their counterparts on the East Coast felt when they saw the Statue of Liberty. Many wartime newcomers stayed in the Bay Area after the war ended. As a result, they enriched Bay Area communities with new cultures and traditions. Many of those who passed through came back to visit again and again, drawn by their memories of the wartime San Francisco Bay Area.

Many of the historic landscapes, buildings, and ships from World War II can still be seen and visited today. These landmarks from World War II contribute to the history and character of the Bay Area. They provide an added layer of meaning to the local citizenry, to the visitors interested in heritage tourism, and to school groups looking for tangible sites to help in understanding intangible ideas.

I hope you enjoy your virtual visit to the World War II sites in the San Francisco Bay Area. I also encourage you to visit them in person. Whether you are a local or a visitor, you will learn much about California's history from these important landmarks. Either way, this National Park Service Virtual Travel Itinerary will ease your journey.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator