Special Exhibit for July 23 – Aug 31: Honoring the “Mighty Eighth”, Eighth Air Force
![Two B-17 Flying Fortress airplanes' vapor trails are streaks thru the night sky.](https://www.campgordonjohnston.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Mighty-8th-B-17_Flying_Fortress-300x232.jpg)
Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum in Carrabelle is presenting a special exhibit exploring the heroic history of the Eighth Air Force, known as The Mighty Eighth. A collection of artifacts will help portray the bravery and sacrifice of the Mighty Eighth. This exhibit will open on Tuesday, July 23 and be on display until Saturday, August 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 Eighth Air Force was the greatest air armada in history, reaching peak strength of over 200,000 personnel by mid-1944. In just three years, the Eighth completed over 440,000 bomber sorties dropping almost 700,000 tons of bombs, and 11,200 aerial victories. They destroyed the German Luftwaffe, and also destroyed Nazi Germany’s ability to wage war. These efforts paved the way for the D-Day assault. .
![B-17 "Flying Fortress" airplane flies over a patchwork land with large puffs of smoke.](https://www.campgordonjohnston.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Mighty-8th-342-FH_001518-crop-300x245.jpg)
These accomplishments came with a price; the Eighth suffered nearly half of the U.S. Army Air Force’s casualties, including more than 26,000 dead. The servicemen of the Eighth earned 17 Medals of Honor (the highest military decoration), 220 Distinguished Service Crosses and many other awards. Visitors are invited to come to the museum to learn more about these heroes.
Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum is located at 1873 Hwy 98 West, directly across from the very beach where the beach assault training occurred in 1942-1943. Carrabelle Beach was the site of many practice beach assault landings. 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.
Special Exhibit for Sept 3 – Sept 28: The Philippines Campaign
![Amphibious landing craft full of WWII servicemembers in the water](https://www.campgordonjohnston.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Leyte-Philippines-20-October-1944.-Hell-Breaks-Loose-Overhead-National-Archives-300x229.jpg)
Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum in Carrabelle is presenting a special exhibit on the Philippines campaign. This exhibit will open on Tuesday, September 3 and be on display until Saturday, September 28. 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.
Visitors are invited to come learn about the Japanese assault on the Philippines, the Bataan Death March,
![Four WWII soldiers lay on a hill](https://www.campgordonjohnston.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Balete-Pass-near-Baguio-Philippines-23-March-19-Copy-300x221.jpg)
and the long campaign to liberate the islands starting with the landing at Leyte and the great Leyte Gulf Naval Campaign. The 38th Infantry Division, which trained at Camp Gordon Johnston, is also known as the “Avengers of Bataan”. This division fought a tough campaign at Zig Zag Pass in Luzon in the Spring of 1945.
Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum is located in Carrabelle, directly across from Carrabelle Public Beach Park at 1873 Hwy 98 West. For more information, contact the museum at (850) 697-8575 or museum@campgordonjohnston.com. Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.
Past Events
Inaugural Camp Gordon Johnston Benefit Golf Tournament Honors Pearl Harbor Day
Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum and St. James Bay Golf Club hosted an Inaugural Camp Gordon Johnston Benefit Golf Tournament on the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. This tournament was held on Pearl Harbor Day to honor the brave men and women who responded to our country’s need and served in the armed forces at home and abroad on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at St. James Bay Golf Club in Carrabelle, FL. The Camp Gordon Johnston Museum displayed vehicles and artifacts on site during the tournament. There was be a buffet at the Crooked River Grill in the St. James Bay Clubhouse following the tournament.
All proceeds are earmarked to help fund a new building to house Camp Gordon Johnston’s three historical military vehicles, including the famous WWII DUKW. These historical military vehicles are still operable and because of the lack of space onsite at the museum, currently they must be kept at a separate location.
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.