2015 marks the 70 year anniversary of the end of World War II in 1945. The Florida Department of State is drawing attention to this important anniversary with the campaign “Victory Florida,” which honors and celebrates the heroes and heroines of World War II while educating Floridians about the important role Florida played in training for the battlefield and on the home front during the war.
The Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Museum, proudly participates in bringing awareness to Florida's history.
Florida WWII History
Florida was an active training ground for the United States’ military. By December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States officially entered the war, more than 170 military installations were established in Florida. After the war in 1945, many surviving service members who had been stationed in Florida prior to active duty returned to settle here. The state’s population grew more than 46% during the 1940s and even more in the 50s as a likely result of the war-time military postings.
In addition to the hundreds of thousands of servicemen and servicewomen who came to Florida from other states to train and serve, over 248,000 Floridians, including more than 50,000 African Americans, volunteered or were drafted into the military. Over 4,600 Floridians lost their lives while in service during World War II. Today the United States is losing its World War II veterans at the rate of approximately 900 per day and time is of the essence to honor these heroes.
