Special Exhibit: the Battle of Hurtgen Forest & the Battle of the Bulge

Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum in Carrabelle is presenting a special exhibit in the month of January. The focus of the exhibit will be on the 4th Infantry Division in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge. This exhibit will open Tuesday, January 2 and be on display until Saturday, January 27.  The museum is open every Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm and there is no charge for admission.

From September 1944 to February 1945, soldiers from at least nine U.S. divisions battled German forces in the Hürtgen Forest, a roughly 70 square mile area of wooded, hilly terrain in Germany near the Belgian border.  It was one of the U.S. Army’s longest battles during World War II, and led to more than 24,000 American casualties.  The 4th ID, which spent about one month fighting there, suffered more than 6,000 casualties.

“In late 1944, during the wake of the Allied forces’ successful D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, it seemed as if the Second World War was all but over. On Dec. 16, with the onset of winter, the German army launched a counteroffensive that was intended to cut through the Allied forces in a manner that would turn the tide of the war in Hitler’s favor. The battle that ensued is known historically as the Battle of the Bulge. The courage and fortitude of the American Soldier was tested against great adversity. Nevertheless, the quality of his response ultimately meant the victory of freedom over tyranny.” Credit: U.S. Army

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 Camp Gordon Johnston Museum at (850) 697-8575 or museum@campgordonjohnston.com. Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.