It was 45 Years Ago Today

[Tim Gratz]

I think this link to "Today in Key West History" will only work until midnight on November 26th.

http://www.keysnews.com/290381185613959.bsp.htm

It was 45 years ago today that JFK paid his second visit as president to Key West. His visit on November 26, 1962 was in fact the last time a sitting president visited Key West.

On his visit, less than a month after the conclusion of the Cuban missile crisis, Kennedy was accompanied by every member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Atlantic commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force. It was truly a historic day in Key West history.

He rode down Duval Street in a white Lincoln convertible borrowed from a Miami dealership.

There were no more stringent security measures in force in Key West than there were in Dallas one year later.

A month or so ago Gary Mack told me the Sixth Floor Museum has B & W film footage of the 1962 Kennedy motorcade in Key West.

Edited November 26, 2007 by Tim Gratz

[Thomas H. Purvis]

I think this link to "Today in Key West History" will only work until midnight on November 26th.

http://www.keysnews.com/290381185613959.bsp.htm

It was 45 years ago today that JFK paid his second visit as president to Key West. His visit on November 26, 1962 was in fact the last time a sitting president visited Key West.

On his visit, less than a month after the conclusion of the Cuban missile crisis, Kennedy was accompanied by every member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Atlantic commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force. It was truly a historic day in Key West history.

He rode down Duval Street in a white Lincoln convertible borrowed from a Miami dealership.

There were no more stringent security measures in force in Key West than there were in Dallas one year later.

A month or so ago Gary Mack told me the Sixth Floor Museum has B & W film footage of the 1962 Kennedy motorcade in Key West.

There are photographs of JFK's visit to Key West in which he toured the "Hawk" Missile Battery which had been recently deployed to Key West.

Since you reside there, you should also be aware the the Special Forces Underwater Operations Committee (School) was also established out on the end of Fleming Key, (Naval Air Station Annex) directly adjacent to the permanent installation site of the Hawk Battery.

https://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/ES-P...ar/coldwar.html

http://www.missilesofkeywest.com/65thHISTORY.html

ARADCOM Key West Defense / Hawk

“A” 6th / 65th - KW-80 - North end of Fleming Key

http://pub29.bravenet.com/guestbook/show.p...14626&cpv=1

Missiles of Key West

[Tim Gratz]

Thanks, Thomas, I have seen all of the articles and was aware of the Special Forces Underwater Operations Committee. Your post shows your knowledge of these matters, but that of course is no surprise.

There are a lot of interesting stories re operations launched from Key West during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

And Gerry Hemming tells a very interesting story about documents delivered to No Name Key demonstrating the presence of the missiles in Cuba. If I am recalling correctly, Gerry and/or his associate Howard Davis delivered the documents to a close associate of the president.

[Thomas H. Purvis]

There are a lot of interesting stories re operations launched from Key West during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

And Gerry Hemming tells a very interesting story about documents delivered to No Name Key demonstrating the presence of the missiles in Cuba. If I am recalling correctly, Gerry and/or his associate Howard Davis delivered the documents to a close associate of the president.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/36/3615.htm

as part of Subron 12, off Key West, FL, 1963

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/subsecrets/li...ouseholder.html

At approximately 8 a.m., most of the submarines had their engines roaring, and the smoke hung heavy over the waterfront as the first of SUBRON 12's submarines got underway. [sUBRON stands for SUBmarine squadRON.]

he "special team" was kept relatively isolated in the forward torpedo room,

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Subron 12 was the last of the old "Diesel Fleet" class of submarines and operated out of Key West.

And, while the unknowing played "watch us" of those such as INTERPEN, the Subron 12 Group continued for many years to make runs to "GITMO".

Tom

P.S. The "forward torpedo room" is also where the forward escape trunk/hatch is located, in which divers can exit/or enter the submarine while it is enroute.