Special Exhibit for May 6 – May 31: Liberation of Paris
Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum in Carrabelle is presenting an exhibit on the Liberation of Paris during World War II. This exhibit will open on Tuesday, May 6 and be on display at the museum until Saturday, May 31. The museum is open every Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. The museum will also be open special hours on Sunday, May 25 and Monday, May 26, 12 pm to 4 pm to honor Memorial Day. Admission is free, though donations are gladly accepted.
The exhibit will present the military and civilian efforts that led to the liberation of Paris on August 25, 1944, after four years of German occupation. The liberation was a turning point in World War II, involving the strategic efforts of the Allied Forces, Free French forces, and the French Resistance. As Allied troops advanced through France following the D-Day invasion, the citizens of Paris, led by resistance fighters, initiated an uprising against the occupying German forces. The Allies initially did not consider Paris to be a priority at first, but the push by the French, who felt the need for this symbolic city to be cleared of Germans, changed their mind.
Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered the intervention of the Free French 2nd Armored Division, led by General Philippe Leclerc, alongside the U.S. 4th Infantry Division. After intense fighting and the strategic surrender of German forces under General Dietrich von Choltitz, Paris was officially freed on August 25, 1944.
The exhibit features compelling historical photographs and firsthand accounts from soldiers in the U.S. 4th Infantry Division – one of the first American units to enter Paris. Known as the “Ivy Division,” the 4th played a crucial role in the D-Day landings at Utah Beach and the subsequent campaign across Nazi-occupied France. Their dramatic entry into Paris along with the French 2nd Armored Division marked a defining moment in the war. The 4th Infantry were trained in amphibious assault at Camp Gordon Johnston. This preparation proved vital throughout their combat operations.
Visitors to the exhibit will gain insight into the soldiers’ experiences and the broader significance of their actions, from their training at Camp Gordon Johnston to their role in liberating one of Europe’s most iconic cities.
Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.
Special Exhibit for June 3-July 12: Commemorating D-Day
Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum in Carrabelle will present a special exhibit commemorating the anniversary of D-Day. This exhibit opens Tuesday, June 3 and will be on display until Saturday, July 12. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is free, though donations are welcome.
Camp Gordon Johnston was established in 1942 in Carrabelle to train entire infantry divisions, including the U. S. Army’s 4th Infantry Division and their support units, in amphibious warfare. That training and the men who received it would be put to the test on the heavily fortified beaches of Normandy, France on D-Day, June 6, 1944. The first amphibian infantry assault teams to arrive on French soil were from the 4th Infantry Division at Utah Beach. The D-Day invasion, the largest seaborne invasion in history, included over 100,000 Allied troops.
The exhibit will include personal papers, historic photos, and artifacts belonging to Capt. John E. Mellen, generously shared by his family. Capt. Mellen commanded the 818th Amphibious Truck Company and served with them from their training at Camp Gordon Johnston through the end of the war. The 818th trained at Camp Gordon Johnston in late 1943 and early 1944 before deploying to England in preparation for the Normandy invasion. On June 6, 1944, they landed on Utah Beach as part of the 1st Engineer Special Brigade, supporting the 4th Infantry Division. For this the 818th received a Meritorious Unit Citation and Croix de Guerre with palm and five members received Bronze Stars.
A video of amphibious assault training on Carrabelle Beach will play continuously during the day, with a new showing every 10 minutes. This Army training short film, captured by the U.S. Army Signal Corps, documents the D-Day preparations as they happened in March 1943. Several well-known photographs of this training were taken from this footage. These exercises were to be the last training before troops shipped out to England.
The exhibit also features personal interviews with members of the 4th Infantry Division and accounts from German defenders. These, along with other tributes to D-Day, offer a more complete perspective on this historic event. The museum’s three WWII military vehicles will also be on display.
Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum is located at 1873 Hwy 98 West, directly across from the very beach where the beach assault training occurred. For more information, contact Camp Gordon Johnston Museum at (850) 697-8575 or museum@campgordonjohnston.com. Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.
Past Events
Sidney A. Winchester Building Dedication at Camp Gordon Johnston Museum
The Camp Gordon Johnston Association and WWII Museum was honored to dedicate our museum building on September 21, 2019 to the late Sidney A. Winchester, a Carrabelle native, U. S. Army veteran and key supporter of Camp Gordon Johnston Museum. We were joined by U.S. Congressman Neal Dunn, M.D. (FL-02) who made two very special presentations during the ceremony. Congressman Dunn presented a container of sand from Utah Beach, Normandy, France to the Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum and then presented an American Flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. to Sidney Winchester’s wife, Bobbye, who accepted the flag on behalf of the Museum in honor of Sidney’s service both as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne and as a charter member and champion of the Camp Gordon Johnston Association. The sand from Utah Beach and the flag will be on display at the Museum. Also on this day, Camp Gordon Johnston Museum celebrated Smithsonian magazine’s 15th annual Museum Day. This national celebration honors museums that follow the example of the Smithsonian with free admission.
Click Here to see the Video of the Dedication Ceremony and Congressman Neal Dunn’s special presentations. Thanks to Mayor Brenda La Paz for this video! Click here to learn more about these events.
