2018 Key News

Dec 3, 2018 - We recently lost two Key plankowners. Charles Vincent a gold crew ET and John Trubee gold crew A-ganger. Charlie passed away on November 15, 2018 and John passed away on November 30, 2018. John was one of the founders of the Key reunion committee. Our deepest sympathies go out to both of their families. They are together again on patrol on the Key. Rest in peace gentlemen - Jobs well done.

Charles Vincent John Trubee

November 2018 - New shipmates added in November 2018 - Johns, Richard 70 - 73; Mercer, Ronnie 81 - 85. Check Crew List for details.

Nov 14, 2018 - Received notice of the passing of Richard Dean Johns (aka Richard Eagle). Richard passed on September 27, 2017 in Colorado. Richard is believed to have been a missile tech on the gold crew from 1970 - 1973. If anyone remembers Richard please contact me (ssbn657@comcast.net) as his wife Sue would like more information regarding his time on the Key. Thank you for your service shipmate, now rest your oars. Job well done.

September 2018 - New shipmates added in September 2018 - Bunting, Charles M. Check Crew List for details.

Sep 17, 2018 - Just added some Polo shirts to the Key's Ship's Store. Take a look. All proceeds go to the reunion committee and help pay for the reunions every two years. Tell your family to shop the Key Ship's Store for things you would really like for Christmas. You would look great in a Key ball cap. Click here to go Key shopping: Ship's Store

Sep 6, 2018 - I did a search of the USSVI web site and found several Key shipmates that have passed recently: John S. Yeiser STSCS died 2/21/2018; James B. Lowman EMCM died 10/3/2017; Paul M. Lee MMCM died 7/2/2017; Charles M. Bunting CMC died 3/13/2017; and Donald A. Vincent ENCS died 1/16/2017. Obituaries can be found in Eternal Patrol. Rest your oars sailors. Job well done.

August 2018 - New shipmates added in August 2018: Straight, George 76 - 78; Simmons, Stephen 80 - 83. Check Crew List for details.

August 27, 2018 - I received an e-mail from a sailor off of another sub and he sent along a picture asking if it was the Key. I remembered the event in the picture well. It was the Key entering Charleston Weapons Station to off load missiles before heading to Bremerton, WA for Poseidon conversion overhaul. I asked a few other shipmates if they remembered and David Hall TM2 Blue Crew sent me this:

"I remember that flag for the sail and there was a picture of it with us coming into port in the Charleston newspaper the next day because my parents got a copy of the paper." Unfortunately David cannot find that old newspaper now but does recall the drooping flag. It was sewn by the seaman gang during the trip from New London to Charleston in Jan/Feb 1972. Since this was the Keys first trip back to the states since its first patrol, the COB wanted to make a big display. Unfortunately the seaman gang had no Betsy Ross in their ranks. The flag looked sad. We pulled into the base and there was no one there. Apparently we were several hours early. No tugs to get us to the pier so we tossed a line to a security guy that had pulled up. We tied off to the capstans and pulled ourselves along side of the pier. Once the word got out that we had arrived, vehicles began appearing with base staff and also local family members. So the flag by then was drooping even more and was taken down. Nice try seaman gang. See the newspaper picture below:

May 2018 - New shipmates added in May 2018: Sanders, Daryl 87 - 89; Welliver, Richard 71 - 73. Check Crew List for details.

May 18, 2018 - Received a few more reunion pictures from Ron Shouse. Just look on the left column and click on Reunion 18. Also received 9 pictures of unique Key license plates. Check them out at the bottom of the Key Papers & Souvenirs area - again on the left column. One more, got a couple of good sea stories from Mike Stanley - gold crew 69 - 72. Mike thinks he might have saved the Key from destruction - and he might have. He also tells of the day he almost sunk it. Good reading at the bottom of the Sea Stories area.

May 16, 2018 - The 2018 Key reunion is complete and all had a great time. As I receive pictures, I will add them to the site. Here is a photo sent in by Ron Shouse of some of the crew a few days before the start of the reunion in Branson, MO.

Apr 2018 - New Shipmates added in April 2018 - Zepf, Andrew 89 - 92. Check Crew List for details.

updated May 1, 2018 Reunion 2018 Attendees - - A final list of shipmates planning on attending the 2018 Key reunion in Branson, MO in May is now available. Just click REUNION 2018 ATTENDEES. Any questions/problems contact diane@ssbn657.com.

Mar 2018 - New shipmates added in March 2018 - Robinson, Stan 75 - 79; Norris, Tim 85 - 90. Check Crew List for details.

Reunion News Jan 29, 2018: The 3pm show on 5/10/18 on the registration form has been changed from The Temptations to Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai. The Temptations schedule changed and they are no longer available for our reunion. The change has been made on the Reunion form below.