The following article below was published in the November 4 issue of Highlights for GHS Affiliate Chapters
HONORING VETERANS DAY ON THE GEORGIA WORLD WAR II HERITAGE TRAIL: COMMEMORATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WORLD WAR II
Chris Madrid, Trail Secretary
As Veterans Day approaches, the Georgia World War II Heritage Trail invites residents and visitors alike to honor the men and women whose service shaped the course of history.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a milestone that reminds us how deeply Georgia’s people and places contributed to Allied victory, from training pilots and building ships to defending the home front and preserving freedom.
“On Veterans Day we not only remember those who wore the uniform, but we celebrate the enduring legacy of service and collaboration across all corners of Georgia, from coastal bases to training fields, restoration hangars to home-front industries,” said Ed Coleman, chair of the Georgia WWII Heritage Trail. “Our mission is to connect visitors to these stories so the lessons and sacrifices of the Greatest Generation continue to inspire us all.”
Trail Partners Honoring Veterans
Across Georgia, twelve museums and historic sites keep the story of World War II alive on Veterans Day and throughout the year:
- Commemorative Air Force Airbase Georgia Museum (Peachtree City) – Veterans Day Open House, November 8, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., featuring warbirds and a look behind the scenes at a N2S Stearman and rare P-47N Thunderbolt.
- National Infantry Museum (Columbus) – On November 11, the museum will mark Veterans Day with a flag retirement (9:30 a.m.), a special ceremony at 11:00 a.m., a screening of Forrest Gump (PG-13) in Giant Screen Theater (museum) at 1:00 p.m. Admission for the day is a special price of $7, and the VR Simulation Center will be open all day.
- National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force (Pooler) – Ceremonies and programs honoring the airmen who flew from England to defeat Nazi Germany.
- Museum of Aviation & Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame (Warner Robins) – Exhibits and ceremonies celebrating Georgia’s enduring aviation legacy.
- World War II Flight Training Museum (Douglas) – Guided tours through preserved pilot-training classrooms and barracks.
- World War II Home Front Museum (St. Simons Island) – Interactive exhibits revealing how coastal Georgians built ships and defended the shoreline.
- St. Marys Submarine Museum (St. Marys) – Honoring the Silent Service and those who served beneath the waves.
- National POW Museum (Andersonville) – Commemorating Americans who endured captivity during wartime.
- Camp Toccoa at Currahee & Currahee Military Museum (Toccoa) – Celebrating paratroopers who trained in Toccoa.
- Thomaston Goes to War (Upson Historical Society, Thomaston) – Exhibits showing how one Georgia town mobilized for the war effort.
A Statewide Call to Remember
The Georgia WWII Heritage Trail connects these twelve partners into one powerful story of courage, innovation, and community. This Veterans Day, and throughout the 80th-anniversary year, Georgians are encouraged to visit, learn, and honor those who secured the freedoms we cherish today.