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A crisp salute to veterans
It was a sign that the annual celebration in Carrabelle to commemorate Camp Gordon Johnston is back with a resounding shout.
The 26th annual parade was a lengthy one, all to honor the country’s remaining World War II veterans as well as recognize and salute all veterans from the "greatest generation" to the present.
Korean War vet Fred Aman served as grand marshall, leading a parade that featured veterans of all branches of service, and vintage museum vehicles such as the WWII DUKW and Willis Jeep. In addition, entries included motorcycle clubs, Junior ROTC units, color guards, veteran organizations and auxiliary units, civic and community floats, decorated golf carts, classic cars, Shriners and beauty queens.
County commissioners Ricky Jones and Jessica Ward joined with County Judge Gordon Shuler, Clerk of Courts Michele Maxwell, Property Appraiser Rhonda Skipper, Superintendent Steve Lanier, Tax Collector Rick Watson, Carrabelle Mayor Brenda La Paz and city commissioners as they walked and rode, and gave out candy. State Senator Loranne Ausley walked the parade as well.
The members of the various auxiliaries of Camp Gordon Johnson American Legion Post 82 in in Lanark Village, named for the famed military training camp that prepared soldiers for amphibious assaults that would free Europe and Asia from totalitarian domination, offered barbecue dinners once the parade ended.
At the museum, a special exhibit to honor both canine military veterans and the role of cartoonists in World War II greeted visitors,
This exhibit is on display at the museum through Wednesday, March 31.
The Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum is directly across from Carrabelle Public Beach Park at 1873 Hwy 98 West. For more information, contact the museum at 697-8575 or museum@campgordonjohnston.com.
This article originally appeared on The Apalachicola Times: A crisp salute to veterans
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.