Amelia Island Museum WWII Exhibit

     Bruce, my husband, and I recently attended the newest exhibit, Florida in WWII, at our wonderful Amelia Island Museum of History. Being temporary, you can catch it until September 23, 2015. It is sponsored by RockTenn.   
     A traveling exhibition by the Museum of Florida History, Florida in World II presents an overview of this seismic world event and its effect on the State of Florida.  Topics include: life on the home front, military training, the German U-boat threat, and Floridians in military service... The museum will feature a companion exhibition drawn from the personal collections and war-time reminiscences of museum members and people from our community.( Copy in italics is taken from Amelia Island Museum literature.)
     We also were graced with the presence of a WWII veterans and others, recounting their service/experiences or that of a relative during the war.

Left to right are Gerhardt Thamm, author of The Making of a Spy: Memoir of a German Boy Soldier Turned Army Intelligence Agent and Boy Soldier: A German Teenager at the Nazi Twilight, Calvin Atwood, Marine vet WWII, poet and educator, William Birdsong, vet, museum docent, Frank Ofeldt, vet, Fort Clinch re-enactor and collector of military memorabilia, Thea Seagraves, director of museum tours and volunteers, Dave Roeser, vet and Coast Guard re-enactor. 

     If you will be on Amelia Island before Sept 23rd, I encourage

Bruce as captain of the ship

you to stop by the museum at 233 S. 3rd Street in Fernandina to see this presentation. And it's not just this exhibit. There is so much more that tells the tale of our Isle of Eight Flags over time. One of my favorite parts is the tall ship area. Steer the ship's wheel, look out the porthole and watch the coastline pass by as you sail or turn your face into that of the captain of the ship with a handheld mask!
     Always  educational and so interesting, the Amelia Island Museum of History is certainly worth your time.  For info, please visit http://ameliamuseum.org/.

Mighty Eighth Air Force Tribute

At top, it reads: Might in Flight, Scroll reads: In memory of our Glorious Dead, 303 Bomb Group, Molesworth, England, 1942-1945. Note: Gunner in the nose of the plane and written on the side is: knock-out dropper with the same image.

On this Memorial Day, I felt it proper to share some of the beautiful photos I was privileged to take in the Chapel of the Fallen Eagles at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, located in Pooler, Georgia, just minutes from Savannah. Activated in 1942 and described on the pamphlet as the "greatest air armada of all time," I understand why, after having toured this massive house of World War II history.  


The stone chapel holding these works of art is designed to look like an English chapel. As the outdoors illuminates these extraordinary windows, the details of each tells a story.  Please take a moment to examine the photos and, as you do, may gratitude for the sacrifice made by these brave souls remind you of the gift of freedom they have given us.

Save all who dare the Eagle's flight, note: angel lifting airplane to Heaven

Fallen but not Forgotten, note, near top of left panel: Dove/Holy Spirit with life preserver on its wing, lower right panel, Star of David amongst the crosses, also lower right panel- the Purple Heart medal

At very top: E Sempre L'Ora means It is always the hour...motto of the 96th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force

100th Bomb Group - REMEMBERING, note: bombs in eagles claws

the Grand Slam - 1 Group, note: Chaplain on left panel giving blessing, rosary beads in his hand, on right panel: airmen receiving that blessing

 

 

 

 

 

For more info on the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, please go to: www.mightyeighth.org.