Perdido Key, Fla. — (OBA) —  The Perdido Key community will soon gather for an annual beach day honoring Army Private Rosamond Johnson Jr. in his memory. The event commemorates his sacrifice and teaches visitors about local history. Organizers say it has become a lasting tradition for the area.

Rosamond Johnson Beach Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 10 a.m. at Johnson Beach in Perdido Key. This year marks the event's 16th anniversary. Organizers said entrance fees will be waived from 8 a.m. to noon.

Johnson enlisted in the U.S. Army at 15. He died in combat two years later on the Korean Peninsula. On July 26, 1950, he carried two wounded soldiers to safety. He was fatally wounded while trying to save a third soldier.

On August 21, 1950, Johnson was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained while saving fellow soldiers. Organizers said he was the first Escambia County resident to die in the Korean Conflict. His actions made him a lasting symbol of courage in the Pensacola area.

At the time of his death, Pensacola's beaches were racially segregated. In 1950, the Sunset Riding Club Inc. leased a county-owned recreation area for the exclusive use of bathing and recreational facilities for colored citizens. After Johnson's sacrifice, that area became known as Rosamond Johnson Beach.

The site became part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore in 1971, and the name remained. Today, a monument and exhibit at the beach honor Johnson and his service. The displays help visitors learn about his wartime heroism and the area's deeper cultural history.

For the past decade and a half, the Perdido Key Area Chamber Foundation has invited the Johnson family, dignitaries, and the public to gather on the beach. The annual event aims to keep Johnson's story visible and to link it to the region's past.

Organizers said strong partnerships among interested groups have helped the event continue year after year. They said those efforts support the goal of educating beachgoers about the region's culture and hometown hero Rosamond Johnson Jr. The foundation said it is proud to support the annual event.

More information about the event is available at www.PerdidoChamber.com. For residents and visitors alike, the gathering offers a time for remembrance and a lesson in local history. Organizers hope the beach day will continue to honor Johnson and his family for many years.