September 19
1919 – The U.S. Navy Subchaser SC 203 found the wreckage of the Spanish passenger liner Valbanera on Half Moon Shoals. The liner was last sighted on September 9 when it was turned away from Havana Harbor because of hurricane winds. No trace was ever found of the more than 300 passengers and crew on board the ship, making the Hurricane of 1919 the third-deadliest storm to hit the United States.
1952 – Corporal Henry Carey, U.S. Army, was killed in action in Korea.
1958 – The submarine USS Grenadier (SS-525) arrived at Key West, the last of five to reach the Naval Station in the past two months. The others were the Spikefish (SS-404), Bergall (SS-320), Atule (SS-403) and Tirante (SS-420). Over 400 men were attached to the five subs, roughly half of whom had families they planned to bring to the island.
1982 – Monroe County Mayor George E. Dolezal dedicated the new Marathon Branch of the Monroe County Library. Also on hand was former Key West Mayor Charles “Sonny” McCoy, who located the state funds used to finance the project.
1986 – Early morning raids at multiple drinking establishments from Big Pine Key to Key West resulted in the arrest of 20 people on various drug and weapons related charges. The raids were the result of a month-long investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department into illicit drug sales.
Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
Image: The sub USS Grenadier (SS 525) underway at the Naval Station Key West, with submarine tender USS Bushnell to the right, 1960s. From the Ida Woodward Barron Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.
