Item 8D - State Historical MarkerAGENDA ITEM:
SUBMITTED BY:
DATE:
BACKGROUND:
CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
CITY COMMISSION MEETING
STAFF REPORT
AGENDA lTEM If 80
MAltCH 14, 20to
Application for a State Historical Marker to Commemorate
Combat Team Camp Atlantic Beach
Yvonne Calverley, Executive Assistant to the City Manage1c.-
February 25, 2016
An Atlantic Beach citizen recently presented the City with a copy
of a historical document written in 1955 that discussed military
operations at the beaches during World World 11 , specifically the
operations at "Combat Team Camp Atlantic Beach".
fn 1942, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leased 149 acres of
land in Atlantic Beach for the construction of an U. S. Army camp
for rotating infantry and coastal artillery units. The main crunp
was situated at present day Selva Lakes and was in existence for
approximately 18 months.
The purpose of this staff report is to determine ifthe City
Commission has an interest in submitting an application to the
State for a his torical marker. The deadline to submit an
application to the Division of Historical Resources in Tallahassee
is May 1, 2016.
BUDGET: The current cost for a single-sided marker is $1900.00. The price
includes th e sign, post and shipping charge.
RECOMMENDATION: The Mayor and Commission should decide whed1er they want to
pw·c hase a historical marker commemorating Combat Team Camp
Atlantic Beach and. if so. authorize staff to prepare the required
application.
ATTACHMENT: 1) Example of historical marker and proposed text
CLTV MANAGER: --rt t/~ ;(U-1..&
Proposed language for historical marker:
Combat Team Camp Atlan6c Beach
AGENDA ITEM# 80
MARC H 14,2016
ln June 1942, beach defense becam e a primary mi ss ion of the U.S. Army after a pair of
Ge rman submarines landed spies on U. S. sho relines. That same year, th e U. S. Army
Corps of E ngineers leased 149 acres of land in Atlantic Beach, Florida for the
construction of a n U. S. Army camp for rotating infantry and coastal artillery units . The
53ro Coast Artillery Regiment, which manned four 155-mrn l ong-range g un s known as
"Long Toms", was the a nc ho r unit at Comb at Team Camp Atlantic Beach. T he main
camp was situated at present-day Selva Lakes and the gun p lacement was located at what
is now Area 7 of Hanna Park. The U . S. Anny camp was in exis tence for 18 mo nths until
the U.S. military began a rapid reduction of its beach defense forces in 1944.