Miami-Dade servicemen and women, veterans and families will join for a special observance of Pearl Harbor Day on Saturday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m.-noon, at the Military Museum of South Florida.
The museum building served as a headquarters building for the U.S. Navy during World War II, and has been restored partially since being moved from the U.S. Army Reserve grounds to a permanent site adjoining the Gold Coast Railroad Museum near ZooMiami at 12400 SW 152 St. (Coral Reef Drive).
The Dec. 7 program was arranged jointly with Miami-Dade Parks Department and Dr. Anthony Atwood, an FIU professor who has played a key role in the development of the museum as a future repository of exhibits tracing South Florida’s role in military affairs.
Several Miami-Dade County officials are expected to participate in the event, including District 8 County Commissioner Lynda Bell and District 10 Commissioner Javier Souto, along with District 9 School Board member Dr. Lawrence S. Feldman.
Others expected to attend include Coral Gables Mayor Jim Cason, Cutler Bay Vice Mayor Ernie Sochin and State Sen. Dwight Bullard.
The event will pay special tribute to fallen U.S. military personnel, veterans and active service personnel with a wreath-laying ceremony, rifle salute and playing of taps following singing of the National Anthem by Ernest Rodriguez of St. Timothy’s Church.
A color guard of Holmes Braddock High School Junior ROTC cadets will presents the colors and a rifle salute will be provided by the Cuban-American Veterans Association.
Richard Heisenbottle, architect, will update progress on the museum restoration. Atwood said the event will mark the first time that visitors will be able to view the interior of the historic military building.
County and state funding has been sufficient only to relocate and rehabilitate structural components before the building can accommodate artifacts and memorabilia of military history, he added.
The project “is considered to be the largest historic preservation in the State of Florida today” according to a Miami-Dade Parks announcement.
