Existing comment:
A Call To Arms: North Carolina Military History Gallery:
North Carolina's military heritage dates to the first Spanish and English exploratory expeditions into the area in the sixteenth century. In 1711, a war with the Tuscarora Indians nearly annihilated the colonists. That war was the first of many conflicts in which North Carolinians have taken part both at home and abroad. Some, such as the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Spanish-American War, had little impact on the state. However, the American Revolution, the Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the war in Iraq have touched thousands of Tar Heel lives.
World War II brought the expansion of Fort Bragg, near Fayetteville, and the establishment of the Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune, at Jacksonville, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, in Goldsboro. These permanent sites serve not only as important defense facilities but also major contributors to the state's economy. In addition, the National Guard and various reserve components have assumed increasingly active roles in military affairs. This exhibit is dedicated to those North Carolinians who have answered "a call to arms." |