▁II , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁established ▁a ▁R anger ▁camp ▁at ▁the ▁northern ▁tip ▁of ▁the ▁island , ▁which ▁could ▁accommod ate ▁ 2 0 0   men . ▁The ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁Civil ian ▁Def ense ▁Council ▁ordered ▁black outs ▁in ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁beginning ▁on ▁April   1 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁Through out ▁the ▁war , ▁German ▁U - bo ats ▁s ank ▁twenty - four ▁ships ▁off sh ore ▁Florida , ▁with ▁eight ▁caps ized ▁off sh ore ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁County ▁between ▁February ▁and ▁May   1 9 4 2 . ▁The ▁Army ▁converted ▁The ▁Bre akers ▁into ▁the ▁Re am ▁General ▁Hospital , ▁while ▁the ▁Navy ▁converted ▁the ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁B ilt more ▁Hotel ▁into ▁a ▁U . S . ▁Naval ▁Special ▁Hospital . ▁On ▁September   1 5 , ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁the ▁Southern ▁Bou lev ard ▁Bridge ▁opened , ▁the ▁third ▁and ▁southern most ▁bridge ▁linking ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁and ▁West ▁Pal m ▁Beach . ▁Res idents ▁of ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁elected ▁Claude ▁Dim ick ▁Re ese ▁( son ▁of ▁former ▁mayor ▁T . T . ▁Re ese ▁and ▁grand son ▁of ▁Dim ick ) ▁as ▁mayor ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁only ▁native - born ▁mayor ▁of ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁in ▁its ▁history . ▁The ▁town ' s ▁population ▁also ▁increased ▁significantly ▁percentage - wise ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁from ▁ 3 , 8 8