Key West in Monroe County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Cold War

Key West — Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial

Photographed By Brandon D Cross, May 4, 2023

1. Cold War Marker

Inscription.

Cold War. Key West — Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial. Cold War . For the first time following a war, the military did not abandon Key West. As relations with the Soviet Union deteriorated, the Navy increased its shore-based and afloat organizations making Key West the largest anti-submarine warfare training and development center on the East Coast. In 1948, Key West became a naval base with a rear admiral in command. Fleet units included a submarine squadron and a destroyer division. Anti-submarine aircraft squadrons at the air station included helicopters, lighter-than-air craft, seaplanes, carrier aircraft, and patrol planes. On shore, the Fleet Sonar School trained more than 3,000 sonar operators a year and taught surface ship officers how to conduct attacks against submarines. The Advanced Underwater Weapons school trained Navy technicians to maintain and operate new anti-submarine weapons. The Underwater Swimmers School conducted courses in diving with Scuba gear. The Naval Ordnance Unit provided facilities for preproduction testing of underwater weapons. The Naval Station, with 1500 military and civilian personnel furnished logistic support and operated a major ship repair facility. Destroyers carried sonar school students to sea to gain practice against real submarines. Submarines and destroyers also tested new equipment and weapons, developed new tactics, and participated in fleet exercises. The anti-submarine aircraft squadrons conducted testing and development of airborne anti-submarine detection equipment, weapons, and tactics. Navy and Marine Corps fighter squadrons trained at Boca Chica Naval Air Station. An "aggressor" squadron stationed there simulated air-combat tactics that would be used by a potential enemy. Air combat maneuvers were recorded for postflight review by a highly sophisticated training facility, perhaps the most advanced such system in the world. During the 1950s and 60s, the more than 20,000 naval personnel and their dependents at Key West outnumbered the civilian population. The training and development carried out at Key West during the Cold War era made an important contribution to deterring the Soviet submarine threat. President Truman made eleven working-vacation visits to Key West during the early years of the Cold War, staying at the Little White House on the Naval Base. In March 1948, he directed the Chiefs of the Armed Forces to meet at Key West and develop plans, known as the Key West Accords, for the unification of the Armed Forces under a Department of Defense. (Captions) A nest of submarines and a submarine rescue vessel moored alongside a submarine tender at the naval station in Key West during the 1950s. Submarines provided realistic targets for sonar school students undergoing training aboard destroyers. President Truman, on one of his many working-vacation visits to Key West, takes time out to inspect a captured German U-boat being tested by U.S. Navy submariners. Two submarines of the squadron based at Key west appear in the background.

Cold War
For the first time following a war, the military did not abandon Key West. As relations with the Soviet Union deteriorated, the Navy increased its shore-based and afloat organizations making Key West the largest anti-submarine warfare training and development center on the East Coast. In 1948, Key West became a naval base with a rear admiral in command. Fleet units included a submarine squadron and a destroyer division.

Anti-submarine aircraft squadrons at the air station included helicopters, lighter-than-air craft, seaplanes, carrier aircraft, and patrol planes. On shore, the Fleet Sonar School trained more than 3,000 sonar operators a year and taught surface ship officers how to conduct attacks against submarines.

The Advanced Underwater Weapons school trained Navy technicians to maintain and operate new anti-submarine weapons. The Underwater Swimmers School conducted courses in diving with Scuba gear. The Naval Ordnance Unit provided facilities for preproduction testing of underwater weapons. The Naval Station, with 1500 military and civilian personnel furnished logistic support and operated a major ship repair facility. Destroyers carried sonar school students to sea to gain practice against real submarines. Submarines and destroyers also tested new equipment

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

and weapons, developed new tactics, and participated in fleet exercises. The anti-submarine aircraft squadrons conducted testing and development of airborne anti-submarine detection equipment, weapons, and tactics.

Navy and Marine Corps fighter squadrons trained at Boca Chica Naval Air Station. An "aggressor" squadron stationed there simulated air-combat tactics that would be used by a potential enemy. Air combat maneuvers were recorded for postflight review by a highly sophisticated training facility, perhaps the most advanced such system in the world.

During the 1950s and 60s, the more than 20,000 naval personnel and their dependents at Key West outnumbered the civilian population. The training and development carried out at Key West during the Cold War era made an important contribution to deterring the Soviet submarine threat.

President Truman made eleven working-vacation visits to Key West during the early years of the Cold War, staying at the Little White House on the Naval Base. In March 1948, he directed the Chiefs of the Armed Forces to meet at Key West and develop plans, known as the Key West Accords, for the unification of the Armed Forces under a Department of Defense.
(Captions)
A nest of submarines and a submarine rescue vessel moored alongside a submarine tender at the naval station in Key West during

Photographed By Brandon D Cross, May 4, 2023

2. Cold War Marker

the 1950s. Submarines provided realistic targets for sonar school students undergoing training aboard destroyers.

President Truman, on one of his many working-vacation visits to Key West, takes time out to inspect a captured German U-boat being tested by U.S. Navy submariners. Two submarines of the squadron based at Key west appear in the background.

Erected by The City of Key West and Monroe County.

Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, Cold • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1948.

Location. 24° 33.574′ N, 81° 48.447′ W. Marker is in Key West, Florida, in Monroe County. Memorial can be reached from the intersection of Wall Street and Tifts Street. This marker is located on Mallory Square within the Key West — Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 400 Wall Street, Key West FL 33040, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Cuban Missile Crisis (here, next to this marker); World War II (here, next to this marker); War on Drugs (here, next to this marker); World War I (here, next to this marker); Key West — Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial (here, next to this marker); USS Key West

Key West - Florida Keys Military Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brandon D Cross, May 4, 2023

3. Key West - Florida Keys Military Memorial

(here, next to this marker); Spanish American War (here, next to this marker); Battleship USS Maine (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Key West.

Also see . . . Key West NAS Radar Site. (Submitted on May 23, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 23, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 105 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 23, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. 3. submitted on May 24, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.