Army ' s evacuation of Miami beach , Florida . The largest resort city on the Florida coast is being returned to its civilian owners by the army in one of the most unique postwar projects and graduallly eighty of its luxurious hotels will be returned to their owners , when the war department ordered the evacuation , the government began removal of furniture and equipment from the buildings , which were then cleaned in true GI manner . The original hotel furniture stored in warehouses since the army moved in in early 1942 was returned to its proper buildings . Representatives of the owners and army engineers entered each hotel and conducted inspections . When completed , each party estimated the cost of restoration and negotiations began for settlement and return of leases . Photo shows a GI polishes a mirror as the building is reconditioned before being inspected by the owners and Miami Beach service Base Post engineers .