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

USS Key West

Key West — Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial

Photographed By Brandon D Cross, May 4, 2023

1. USS Key West Marker

Inscription.

USS Key West. Key West — Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial. USS Key West . #32 . The first Key West was a wooden stern-wheel steamer built in California, Pennsylvania, for private use in 1862, and was later acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War, and converted to a "Tin Clad" for military use. She was commissioned into the Navy on 26 May, 1863, at Cairo, Illinois From Cairo, she departed for patrol and convoy duty escorting troop transports and supply ships on Confederate waterways and on the Tennessee River. While supporting Union Army efforts and protecting Federal positions in the Tennessee Valley from Confederate cavalry raids, her guns engaged hit-and-run batteries and bands of riflemen. She withstood hits from Confederate artillery, and continued her duties. On 4 November, 1864, Key West was caught in a narrow, shallow section of the river near Jacksonville, Tennessee, by a Confederate force. After a vigorous action in which Key West was hit 19 times by rifled artillery, she and two other Union gunboats, riddled and almost out of ammunition, were set afire and scuttled. Length 156 ft. Beam 32 ft. Displacement 207 tons Draft 4 ft. 2 in. PF 17 . The second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Key West, Florida, was a Tacoma-class frigate commissioned at Houston, Texas, on 7 November, 1944. Beginning January, 1945, Key West operated from the East Coast of the United States escorting convoys carrying materiel of war to the Mediterranean Sea for the European Theater of Operations. She escorted three round-trip convoys until the end of the European war. She participated in the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest campaign of world war two. Converted to a weather ship, she departed Boston, Massachusetts, in July, 1945, for the Pacific Theater of Operations. During August, at the time the Pacific war ended, Key West was assigned to the duty of weather station patrol in the vicinity of Guam. In March, 1946, Key West arrived in San Francisco, California, where she served for three weeks during April on a plane-guard station off the North California Coast. The ship was decommissioned at Bremerton, Washington, in June, 1946 Length 303 ft. 11 in. Displacement 2,415 tons full Beam 37 ft. 11 in. Draft 13 ft. 8 in. Complement 190 SSN 722 . The third ship to be so named is a Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine with Tomahawk vertical launch capability. She was built at Newport News, Virginia, launched in July 1985, and commissioned in September, 1987. Key West visited her namesake city in 1987 for a weeklong celebration after commissioning, and again in 1992 and 1994. Key West has been deployed in most of the oceans of the world, winning many honors and awards for Battle Efficiency, and recognized as the best submarine in the squadron several times. In 2001, Key West was the first warship to arrive on station as part of Operation Enduring Freedom following the September 11th terrorist attacks. She participated in the first 75 days of that operation, launching Tomahawk cruise missiles into Afghanistan in October, 2001. In January, 2003, Key West deployed to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom. After many more deployments in the Pacific Ocean, more awards for efficiency and outstanding accomplishments, Key West returned to her homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 2010 for an overhaul. Upon completion she will have the latest in fire control and sonar equipment, and will go on to do her duty to protect and defend this country. Length 361 9 ft. (110.3 m) Beam 32.8 ft. (10 m) Propulsion 1 X S6G Reactor Displacement 6900 Tons Draft 30.8 ft. (9.4m) Complement 14 O 134 E

USS Key West
#32
The first Key West was a wooden stern-wheel steamer built in California, Pennsylvania, for private use in 1862, and was later acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War, and converted to a "Tin Clad" for military use. She was commissioned into the Navy on 26 May, 1863, at Cairo, Illinois

From Cairo, she departed for patrol and convoy duty escorting troop transports and supply ships on Confederate waterways and on the Tennessee River. While supporting Union Army efforts and protecting Federal positions in the Tennessee Valley from Confederate cavalry raids, her guns engaged hit-and-run batteries and bands of riflemen. She withstood hits from Confederate artillery, and continued her duties.

On 4 November, 1864, Key West was caught in a narrow, shallow section of the river near Jacksonville, Tennessee, by a Confederate force. After a vigorous action in which Key West was hit 19 times by rifled artillery, she and two other Union gunboats, riddled and almost out of ammunition, were set afire and scuttled. Length 156 ft.
Beam 32 ft.
Displacement 207 tons
Draft 4 ft. 2 in.

PF 17
The second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Key West, Florida, was

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a Tacoma-class frigate commissioned at Houston, Texas, on 7 November, 1944.

Beginning January, 1945, Key West operated from the East Coast of the United States escorting convoys carrying materiel of war to the Mediterranean Sea for the European Theater of Operations. She escorted three round-trip convoys until the end of the European war. She participated in the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest campaign of WWII.

Converted to a weather ship, she departed Boston, Massachusetts, in July, 1945, for the Pacific Theater of Operations. During August, at the time the Pacific war ended, Key West was assigned to the duty of weather station patrol in the vicinity of Guam.

In March, 1946, Key West arrived in San Francisco, California, where she served for three weeks during April on a plane-guard station off the North California Coast. The ship was decommissioned at Bremerton, Washington, in June, 1946
Length 303 ft. 11 in.
Displacement 2,415 tons full
Beam 37 ft. 11 in.
Draft 13 ft. 8 in.
Complement 190

SSN 722
The third ship to be so named is a Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine with Tomahawk vertical launch capability. She was built at Newport News, Virginia, launched in July 1985, and commissioned in September, 1987. Key West visited her namesake city in 1987 for

Photographed By Brandon D Cross, May 4, 2023

2. USS Key West Marker

a weeklong celebration after commissioning, and again in 1992 and 1994.

Key West has been deployed in most of the oceans of the world, winning many honors and awards for Battle Efficiency, and recognized as the best submarine in the squadron several times.

In 2001, Key West was the first warship to arrive on station as part of Operation Enduring Freedom following the September 11th terrorist attacks. She participated in the first 75 days of that operation, launching Tomahawk cruise missiles into Afghanistan in October, 2001. In January, 2003, Key West deployed to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

After many more deployments in the Pacific Ocean, more awards for efficiency and outstanding accomplishments, Key West returned to her homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 2010 for an overhaul. Upon completion she will have the latest in fire control and sonar equipment, and will go on to do her duty to protect and defend this country.

Length 361 9 ft. (110.3 m)
Beam 32.8 ft. (10 m)
Propulsion 1 X S6G Reactor
Displacement 6900 Tons
Draft 30.8 ft. (9.4m)
Complement 14 O 134 E

Erected by The City of Key West and Monroe County.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1862.

Location.

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24° 33.573′ N, 81° 48.45′ W. Marker is in Key West, Florida, in Monroe County. Marker is at the intersection of Wall Street and Tifts Street, on the right when traveling north on Wall 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. Key West — Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial (here, next to this marker); Battleship USS Maine (here, next to this marker); War on Drugs (here, next to this marker); Cuban Missile Crisis (here, next to this marker); Cold War (here, next to this marker); World War II (here, next to this marker); World War I (here, next to this marker); Spanish American War (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Key West.

Also see . . .
1. USS Key West (I). (Submitted on May 24, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
2. Key West (PF 17). (Submitted on May 24, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
3. U.S.S. Key West (SSN-722). (Submitted on May 24, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 24, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 93 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 24, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.