Special Exhibit for April 1 – May 3: Remembering the Holocaust
Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum in Carrabelle is presenting an exhibit to remember the Holocaust, Hitler’s program to commit genocide against those he deemed unworthy, especially Europe’s Jews. This exhibit will open on Tuesday, April 1 and be on display at the museum until Saturday, May 3. The museum is open every Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. There is no charge for admission, but donations are gladly accepted.
Beginning in 1933, the German Government established prison, labor, concentration, and extermination camps throughout their territories, including in countries they occupied before and during the war. Groups that were arrested and detained included Roma, Communists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals, the disabled and especially Jews. Some 12 million people perished in the more than 44,000 facilities, ghettos and killing fields across Europe, including 6 million Jews. The Museum acknowledges the need for all citizens to understand this dark period of history, what caused it, who perpetrated it, and how some resisted and fought their captors. Eyewitnesses such as survivors and the soldiers that liberated these camps are aging and dying, but many have told their stories. Visitors are invited to come see this sobering exhibit, and help our society remember those that were victims of atrocity, prejudice, and hate.
The internationally recognized date for Holocaust Remembrance Day corresponds to the 27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar and it marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising which started on April 19, 1943. In Hebrew, Holocaust Remembrance Day is called Yom Hashoah. In 2025, Yom HaShoah will be recognized beginning at sunset on the evening of Wednesday, April 23 – Thursday, April 24. Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.
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. There is no charge for admission, but 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.
Coming Soon –
Special Exhibit for June 3-July 12: Commemorating D-Day
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.
