About this Unit
Field Station Key West, located in Key West, Florida, was a United States Army Security Agency (ASA) signals intelligence (SIGINT) facility established during the early years of the Cold War. Activated in the late 1940s, the station played a crucial role in intercepting and analyzing communications from Cuba and the Caribbean, especially during periods of heightened tension such as the Cuban Missile Crisis. Operated primarily by the 313th ASA Battalion and later by various military intelligence units, Field Station Key West provided valuable intelligence to national decision-makers. The facility was eventually closed as advances in technology and shifting strategic priorities rendered its mission obsolete, but its legacy remains an important chapter in U.S. military intelligence history.
Historical Facts
• Origins in World War II: Field Station Key West’s roots trace back to World War II, when the U.S. Navy established intelligence and communications operations in the Florida Keys to monitor German U-boat activity in the Caribbean.
• Cold War Listening Post: During the Cold War, the field station became a pivotal National Security Agency (NSA) signals intelligence (SIGINT) site, tasked with intercepting communications from Cuba and the Soviet Union.
• Role in the Cuban Missile Crisis: The station played a crucial role in gathering intelligence during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, helping U.S. decision-makers monitor Soviet military activity in Cuba.
• Home to the 6947th Security Squadron: In the 1960s and 1970s, Field Station Key West was home to the U.S. Air Force 6947th Security Squadron, which specialized in electronic intelligence operations.
• Intercepting Castro’s Communications: The station became famous for its role in intercepting and analyzing Cuban military and government communications, providing valuable information to U.S. intelligence agencies.
• Joint-Service Operations: Over the decades, the station hosted personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and NSA, making it a hub for joint-service and interagency cooperation in intelligence gathering.
• Operation Elint: Field Station Key West was instrumental in Operation Elint (Electronic Intelligence), monitoring radar and missile tests in Cuba and supporting U-2 reconnaissance missions.
• Secrecy and Cover: For many years, the station’s activities were highly classified and operated under innocuous names and covers to conceal its true intelligence mission from the public and adversaries.
• Deactivation and Downsizing: With the end of the Cold War, Field Station Key West’s mission was reduced, leading to downsizing and eventual deactivation as technology and satellite intelligence advanced.
• Legacy and Remembrance: Although now largely decommissioned, Field Station Key West is remembered by veterans and intelligence historians as a vital outpost in America’s SIGINT and Cold War efforts, with reunions and commemorative events held by former personnel.
