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

Key West-Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, May 4, 2023

1. Key West — Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial Marker

Inscription.

Key West-Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial. . , Once called the "Gibraltar of the Gulf of Mexico, Key West occupies a vital strategic position in defense of the United States. In 1822, Lieutenant Matthew Perry, U.S. Navy, raised the American Flag over Key West, taking formal charge of the island in the name of the United States., This memorial is a time-line of significant military engagements in which Armed Forces members from the Keys participated. , , Each pedestal recounts the military actions depicted in the time-line beginning with the Antipiracy Campaign. Next came the Second Seminole War, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I, World War lI, the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Drug War., With the arrival of the antipiracy squadron in 1823, Just one year after Key West was first settled, military units have maintained an almost continuous presence on the island and military personnel have been an integral part of the community. In four successive wars, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and Il, the Key West base underwent rapid expansion in size, facilities, and personnel, reaching a peak of over 6,000 acres and more than 15,000 military personnel in World War Il. In each of these conflicts, military forces based in Key West played a vital role in training and in operations against the enemy on land, sea and in the air., The presence of a large number of ships, aircraft, and submarines together with extensive shore facilities at Key West at the outbreak of the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962, was a key factor in the success of the blockade, which averted a nuclear war., The unique situation of Key West at the gateway to the Gulf of Mexico and the western Caribbean ensures that the U.S. military will always be here, ready to answer the call to duty in any future conflicts or crisis., Committee , Chairman Jack King, Sr. , Vice Chairman George N. Gee , Bruce Amsterdam, . William M. Barry . Edward M. Block . Bud Brewer . Frank Butler . Lawrence S. Cotton, Jr. . Stephen P. Dawkins . Robert W. Elliott, Jr. . Edward B. Knight . Harry F. Knight . James S. Lloyd . Ross McKee . Joseph G. Pais . Mark Rossi . Edward A. Spehar . Gayle Swofford . John W. Viele , Honorary Member Edwin O. Swift III, Monroe County , Commissioners , Mayor Charles “Sonny” McCoy . Mayor Pro-Tem Dixie M. Sephar . Murray Nelson . George Neugent . Humberto “Bert” Jimenez , County Administrator James L. Roberts, City of Key West , Commissioners , Mayor Jimmy Weekley , Tom Oosterhoudt . Meridian McCoy . Edwin A. Scales . Harry L. Bethel, Sr. . Jeremy Anthony . Carmen Turner , City Manager Julio Avael

Once called the "Gibraltar of the Gulf of Mexico, Key West occupies a vital strategic position in defense of the United States. In 1822, Lieutenant Matthew Perry, U.S. Navy, raised the American Flag over Key West, taking formal charge of the island in the name of the United States.

This memorial is a time-line of significant military engagements in which Armed Forces members from the Keys participated.

Each pedestal recounts the military actions depicted in the time-line beginning with the Antipiracy Campaign. Next came the Second Seminole War, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I, World War lI, the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Drug War.

With the arrival of the antipiracy squadron in 1823, Just one year after Key West was first settled, military units have maintained an almost continuous presence on the island and military personnel have been an integral part of the community. In four successive wars, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and Il, the Key West base underwent rapid expansion in size, facilities, and personnel, reaching a peak of over 6,000 acres

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

and more than 15,000 military personnel in World War Il. In each of these conflicts, military forces based in Key West played a vital role in training and in operations against the enemy on land, sea and in the air.

The presence of a large number of ships, aircraft, and submarines together with extensive shore facilities at Key West at the outbreak of the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962, was a key factor in the success of the blockade, which averted a nuclear war.

The unique situation of Key West at the gateway to the Gulf of Mexico and the western Caribbean ensures that the U.S. military will always be here, ready to answer the call to duty in any future conflicts or crisis.

Committee
Chairman Jack King, Sr.
Vice Chairman George N. Gee
Bruce Amsterdam, • William M. Barry • Edward M. Block • Bud Brewer • Frank Butler • Lawrence S. Cotton, Jr. • Stephen P. Dawkins • Robert W. Elliott, Jr. • Edward B. Knight • Harry F. Knight • James S. Lloyd • Ross McKee • Joseph G. Pais • Mark Rossi • Edward A. Spehar • Gayle Swofford • John W. Viele
Honorary Member Edwin O. Swift III

Monroe County
Commissioners
Mayor Charles “Sonny” McCoy • Mayor Pro-Tem Dixie M. Sephar • Murray Nelson • George Neugent • Humberto “Bert” Jimenez
County Administrator James L. Roberts

City of Key West
Commissioners
Mayor Jimmy Weekley
Tom Oosterhoudt • Meridian McCoy • Edwin A. Scales • Harry L. Bethel, Sr. • Jeremy Anthony • Carmen Turner
City Manager Julio Avael

Erected by Monroe

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

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, May 4, 2023

2. Key West — Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial

County and City of Key West.

Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: Military. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1962.

Location. 24° 33.574′ N, 81° 48.449′ W. Memorial is in Key West, Florida, in Monroe County. It can be reached from the intersection of Wall Street and Tift’s Aly, on the left when traveling north. This marker is located on Mallory Square. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 400 Wall St, Key West FL 33040, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is on the Florida Keys.

It is also in the American South

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: USS Key West (here, next to this marker); War on Drugs (here, next to this marker); Cuban Missile Crisis

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, May 4, 2023

3. Key West — Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial

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

Credits. This page was last revised on June 30, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 17, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,101 times since then and 117 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 17, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.