WWII museum honors The Mighty Eighth
Two B-17 Flying Fortresses’ vapor trails light up the night sky over Eastern Europe. [ U.S. Air Force ]
B-17 Flying Fortresses from the 398th Air Expeditionary Group fly a bombing run to Neumünster, Germany, on April 13, 1945; three weeks later, on Nazi Germany surrendered, and Victory in Europe Day was declared. [ National Archives ]
Camp Gordon Johnston World War II Museum in Carrabelle is presenting a special exhibit exploring the heroic history of the 8th 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 be on display until Saturday, August 31. The museum is open every Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
There is no charge for admission, but donations are gladly accepted.
The 8th 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 8th 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.
These accomplishments came with a price; the 8th suffered nearly half of the U.S. Army Air Force’s casualties, including more than 26,000 dead. The servicemen of the 8th 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.
The museum is at 1873 Highway 98 West, directly across from where the practice beach assault training occurred in 1942-43. For more information, contact Camp Gordon Johnston Museum at (850) 697-8575 or museum@campgordonjohnston.com.
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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.