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Storming the beaches of Carrabelle Florida coastal town a training site for Norm
Published by The Denver PostWritten by J.G. Nash, Special to The Denver Post
CARRABELLE BEACH, Florida - On June 6, 59 years ago, the most selfless, heroic act by any nation took place on the beaches of France. That was when the Allies (primarily U.S. troops) stormed ashore on "Fortress Europa." Several times a week in the early 1940's, Army troops stormed ashore on undeveloped coastal Florida land. So many thousands of U.S. men died in that action that we seem somehow unable, or unwilling, to relate to the scope of the loss. It was, nevertheless, the single greatest military battle in human history, and much of the training for those beach assaults was carried out in Florida. In the early 1940s, a military camp named Gordon-Johnston was carved out of the inhospitable palmettos, scrub oaks, pines and vines covering a portion of undeveloped coastal Florida. That site was chosen because the region had beaches but almost no tourists, so it was well-suited for practicing amphibious landings without drawing unwanted public attention. Several times a week, Army troops stormed ashore on Carrabelle Beach. Local residents, of which there were few, made their living by fishing and so paid scant attention to the Army's non-competitive maneuvers. Thousands of the troops that eventually landed on the beaches of Normandy received their basic training on Carrabelle Beach. The few remaining survivors return there each year for an emotional convention. Today's Carrabelle is reminiscent of Key West in the 1960s, but not for long. Commercial shrimpers regularly return to Carrabelle after a week or more in the Gulf of Mexico. Even before sunset, they all congregate in waterfront bars such as Harry's, which provides billiards, free supper, pretty women, a reading library and the friendliest company you're liable to come across anywhere. When Harry's closes at 7 p.m., the action moves from place to place, allowing the thirsty set to party until dawn. The little town's main street is a sand-dusted stretch of U.S. 98. Most of the traffic is just passing through and likely doesn't even notice the "world's smallest police station," which is a telephone booth next to a police cruiser parked under a chinaberry tree. It's no longer in use (the four-man police department recently set up office in a small building made just for them), but for years, if you dialed the police number in Carrabelle, the phone in that booth rang and was answered by a policeman stationed in the nearby cruiser. That record-setting police station was almost stolen by someone from out of state, but the "collector of historic sites" made the mistake of asking local residents to help him load the already disconnected and upended booth into his truck. Carrabelle is so small that residents are routinely introduced by combining what they do or are with their first names. "Ron of Carrabelle Junction," "Kathy of the new hotel" and "Dave from the bank" are a few examples. Sometimes, as in Dave's case, categorization is a bit difficult and can cause confusion. David Butler, senior vice president of the Gulf State Bank, literally wears so many different hats, specialty T-shirts and name tags that he seems to be involved in just about anything and everything. The first time I saw him, he was struggling to lug a plastic garbage can full of ice into the screened-in tiki room of the Georgian Motel. Later, I spotted him (wearing an appropriate Camp Gordon-Johnston T-shirt) inside a small museum dedicated to preservation of the little-known history of the previously mentioned amphibious landing training. On the morning I left town, Dave took me to the chamber of commerce to see the original phone booth used as the police station (a copy of which now stands under the chinaberry tree). If you visited Key West before it became too popular, commercial and touristy, you'll recognize its similarities with Carrabelle. Flip flops and shorts are more popular than shoes and jeans. The sun and sea breeze have tanned and lined the faces of longtime residents, more than a few of whom seemingly place more importance on tattoos and ear rings than on shaving or grooming. The atmosphere is clearly laid back and tropical, a Margaritaville of sorts. As folks along this little-visited section of Florida's Panhandle coast tend to say, "We're just 20 minutes from there." It's only 20 minutes to Apalachicola and its historic old buildings, for example, or to East Point, the oyster capital of the South. Another 20 minutes farther west is Cape San Blas, where a beach was just decreed on national TV to be the best in the United States. (It may well be.) But there's enough to do in Carrabelle to satisfy most of its visitors. The beach where landing craft once slammed ashore is delightfully uncrowded, even on summer holidays. Just across the highway from the beach is the home of Ron and Rose Treutel. The charming, energetic couple have established a first-class art gallery on the mansion's first floor. Ron also offers his services to visitors who want to fish, bird or simply explore the "Forgotten Coast." If you're a serious nature trail walker, you'll enjoy nearby Tate's Hell State Forest, and lighthouse buffs won't want to miss the Crooked River light. For a local lunch and dinner, the place to go seems to be Timber Island, where docked shrimp boats can be seen from the Georgian Motel. The island's Tiki Hut restaurant serves seafood prepared just about any way you want it. The atmosphere, in keeping with Carrabelle, is most informal - we even saw waitresses dancing enthusiastically with uninhibited diners. Be sure to try the "bulldozer" lobster, but not breaded and deep fried. Harry's Restaurant is the place for a full breakfast, but many visitors prefer the ambience and company available at the fascinating Carrabelle Junction, which owner Ron Gempel says is intended to be Carrabelle's meeting place. If you're lucky, you might meet long-legged, tanned, blond Wendy Allen there. If you do, say hi for me. John G. Nash is a freelance writer who lives in Homosassa, Fla. Carrabelle is located on U.S. 98, about 20 miles east of Apalachicola on Florida's Gulf Coast. The nearest airports and rental cars are at Panama City and Tallahassee. The Georgian Motel offers clean and comfortable rooms with kitchenettes. 850-697-3410, www.1800motels.com The renovated Old Carrabelle Hotel (a B&B) is just a short block from the waterfront, phone 850-697-9010 or e-mail ochbbin@hotmail.com Vacation rentals may be arranged through Anchor Vacation Properties, phone 800-613-5962 or e-mail info@florida-beach.com For further information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at 850-697-2585 or email info@carrabellechamber.org
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