The event was held at the
Spottswood’s Key West Beachside
Marriott Hotel. State Rep. Ron
Saunders, City of Key West Mayor
Craig Cates and Key West City
Commissioner Mark Rossi, as well
as members of local civic organizations and the community at large,
were in attendance.
Koonce gave guests a presentation consisting of a short history and
recent activities of the submarine. He
was introduced by council member
Sandy Higgs, who was a member of
the boarding party at the submarine’s first visit to Key West in 1987.
She brought along several memorabilia of that event for display.
The submarine made Key West
its first port call on Sept. 14, 1987,
four days after it was commissioned in Newport News, Va. It is
presently homeported in Hawaii
and is going through an overhaul
in dry dock. After completion of
repairs and sea trials, Key West will
be relocated to Guam.
After the presentation, Council
President Stan Rzad and Koonce
exchanged plaques.
U.S. MARINE CORPS
The Marine Corps’ 1st Radio Battalion, shown here at Camp Leatherneck,
Afghanistan, sent the flag that flew over the camp on Sept. 11 to the Broward
County, Fla., Council to be presented during the grand opening of the Fisher
House in Miami Nov. 17.
Short Bursts
■ The Broward County, Fla.,
Council helped secure a Marine unit
flag that had flown over an operating base in Afghanistan for the new
Miami-based Fisher House. Shelly
and Al Stein, who head up the
council’s “Support the Troops” project that has sent 375 personal care
packages to deployed Marines and
Sailors, contacted Marine Maj.
Jason Schermerhorn with the 1st
Radio Battalion, who sent the flag
that was flown over Camp
Leatherneck in Afghanistan on Sept.
11, the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States.
The Steins also were presented with
a Marine Corps Certificate of
Authenticity stating the flag was in
fact flown on that date. The flag, the
certificate and a photo of the men
and women of the 1st Radio
