During World War 2 the Army used to conduct beach landing training on Carrabelle beach and Dog Island after a 67 year hiatus they’re about to do it again.
The U.S. Army trained three infantry divisions in Franklin County as well as the 3rd and 4th special Brigades in the art of beach landings.
That training was very important on beach landings in Europe and in the Pacific.
On Saturday, March 12th during Camp Gordon Johnston days, the U.S. Army Reserve 834th heavy boat company from the 322nd Transportation Company will conduct a training landing at that same Carrabelle beach.
The unit has a historic connection with our area and has traced its lineage all the way back to 1943 when it was formed as the 43rd Amphibious Truck Company at Camp Gordon Johnston.
At that time, many of these units were staffed with African American Soldiers who piloted the “Ducks”, the landing vessels that were used to ferry combat soldiers supplies and bringing the wounded back to the ships, often under heavy fire.
The 824th attended the Camp Gordon Johnston Days in 2005 and 2006 but missed the last two reunions because they were busy in the Middle East and then in Haiti.
This year, however, they are returning to Carrabelle and hope to show what they are capable of with their landing craft.
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