Presentation of the association

The AMERICA & GOLD BEACH Museums Association has its origins in a first association called ‘AMERICA’ created on 10 September 1988.

The aim of this first association was to create a museum dedicated to the Fokker C2 AMERICA aircraft and its crew, who made the first USA-France airmail connection in 1927. The founding members included French and American personalities such as Senator Philippe de Bourgoing and former minister and sub-prefect Raymond Triboulet, the Governor of New Jersey Thomas H. Kean, Mrs Anneliese Gillespie, Director of the Emil Buehler Foundation, descendants of members of the AMERICA crew and, of course, the founding members, residents of Ver-sur-Mer, as well as the municipality as a legal entity.

The aim was not only to pay tribute to the American pioneers of aviation: Richard Byrd, George. O. Noville, Bertram B Acosta and Bernt Balchen by collecting documents and souvenirs relating to their exploits, but also to encourage cultural exchanges between the inhabitants of New Jersey and the commune of Ver-sur-Mer. In September 1996, the articles of association were amended to include a second historical area commemorating the British landings on 6 June 1944 in the GOLD BEACH sector. The aim is now to pay tribute to the British soldiers and those of other nationalities who landed in this sector by collecting documents and souvenirs relating to this operation and by promoting cultural exchanges between the commune of Ver-sur-Mer and the foreign countries concerned, in particular the USA, Great Britain and the European countries involved in this operation. The creation of this ‘GOLD’ space was largely due to the efforts of Major Robert Kiln, a former officer in the 86th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment The Royal Artillery, who worked hard with the first curator of the museums, Jean-Pierre Dupont MBE, to bring the project to fruition.

The museum finally opened its doors in June 1998, in the Coiffier house, deputy mayor of Ver-sur-Mer in 1927, on the very spot where the crew of the America were laid to rest after the AMERICA was forced to ditch at 2.30am on 1 July 1927. Since 1998, the association has been managing the museums with the constant aim of improving the collections and the historical areas presented to visitors. The association plays an active part in official commemorations and regularly maintains the SEXTON self-propelled gun on display in the Place du Major Robert Kiln. We are always on the lookout for active members of our association, so that we can share our passion as well as our mutual skills, which is always useful and rewarding!