The Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce invites the public to attend the annual Rosamond Johnson Beach Day celebration will take place at Johnson Beach in the Gulf Islands National Seashore at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 6.
After enlisting in the Army at only 15 years old, Private Johnson died in combat two years later at age 17. Johnson rescued two injured soldiers and brought them to safety before he was fatally wounded while returning for a third comrade. He was the first Escambia County resident to die in the Korean War. Johnson posthumously received the Purple Heart on August 21, 1950.
Erin Wilmer, Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors and Military Affairs Council stated “The story of the selfless bravery of Private Johnson is a story worthy of national attention and we hope to see the public awareness of the history of this beach grow in the years to come”
For the over a decade, the Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce has invited the Johnson Family, local and national dignitaries, and the public to the beach to honor the memory of this local hero.
The Keynote speaker at this year’s ceremony will be Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May.
In honor of the sacrifice paid by Army Private Rosamond Johnson and his family, the National Park Service waives entrance fees to Johnson Beach from 9 a.m. to noon for attendees of the annual commemoration ceremony.
Johnson Beach is one of the most popular beach recreation areas of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and is open daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
For more information on the event go to www.VisitPerdido.Com