Military

The Perdido Area Chamber Foundation Military Council is committed to making our area a desirable community for military families to live, work, and play.  Your support is imperative for us to meet this mission.  This opportunity to give back to those who keep on giving to our country, our community, and our businesses turned into an opportunity for community collaboration behind one common goal.  The military support in our community is apparent and strong.  To meet our mission, the Military Council has named May Military Appreciation Month to highlight the importance of our Sailors and Soldiers to the local community and the country as a whole.

Sponsor A Wreath

Veterans make unimaginable sacrifices for our freedom, and they deserve our utmost respect. At the annual Wreaths Across America event at Barrancas National Cemetery, we strive to honor veterans and to teach this respect to the next generation. In partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Big Lagoon Foundation, Inc. and Wreaths Across America, we collect funds for wreaths for the graves in the Barrancas National Cemetery. Through our efforts, we hope to teach young people in our community to remember and honor the sacrifices veterans have made for our country.

Visit Barrancaswreaths.com for more information on sponsoring a wreath or getting involved in the event.

Rosamond Johnson Jr. Day

The first Saturday of May is recognized as Rosamond Johnson Jr. Day when the life of Private Rosamond Johnson Jr., the first citizen from Escambia County to die in the Korean War is commemorated during a public ceremony at Johnson Beach. The area became part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore on May 8, 1973. A permanent monument in Johnson’s honor was erected at Johnson Beach on June 10, 1996

Hosted by the Gulf Islands National Seashore and the Perdido Area Chamber Foundation, the annual ceremony is a tribute to Private Rosamond Johnson Jr, a 17-year-old African American who, under enemy fire, pulled two comrades to safety and was killed while trying to rescue a third.  After joining the military when he was just 15 years old, Private Johnson was killed in action on July 26, 1950, at the age of 17 during the Korean Conflict. He posthumously received the Purple Heart on August 21, 1950. Veteran groups continue to seek additional military honors for him.