Keys, Walter

Description

Walter Keys

Walter Keys was born on August 2, 1925, in Church View, Virginia to Matilda K Easton Key, age 42, and John Walker Keys, age 47. His father was a farmer, he had four brothers and four sisters. Walter was raised and his primary education was in Virginia.

He moved to Rye in 1941, attended Rye High School and lived with family at 56 Cedar Place. From 1942-1943 he was working at Ledman’s Dress Factory, North Main St Port Chester, N.Y.

Rye Men Joining Combat Forces
Accepted at the same time for the Navy were Thomas A. DelVal, 382 Midland Avenue; Walter Keys, 56 Cedar Place; Peter J. McDonnell, 2 Hawthorne Place; Edwin T. Perry, Greenwich, formerly 38 New Street; Francis M. Ryan, 15 School Street. There will be a short ceremony, Saturday, December 18, at 8:40 a. m. at the Selective Service Boards office, Barry Avenue School, Mamaroneck, before the men board the 9:27 train.
RYE, NEW YORK FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1943

Walter enlisted November 27, 1943 and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. His service number was 8164935 and he attended Service Schools Naval Training Station in Sampson, NY. Later stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Training School, Ill, he would eventually be assigned to the USS Monterey.
SEE NAVY MUSTER ROLLS

USS Monterey (CVL-26) was an Independence-class light aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, in service during World War II and used in training for several years thereafter. October through December 1944 were spent in the Philippines, supporting first the Leyte, and then the Mindoro landings.

In December, she steamed into the path of Typhoon Cobra, with winds over 100 knots (185 km/h; 115 mph). At the height of the storm, which lasted two days, several planes tore loose from their cables, causing several fires on the hangar deck. Monterey arrived Bremerton, Washington, for overhaul in January 1945.

She rejoined TF 58 and supported Okinawa operations by launching strikes against Nansei Shoto and Kyūshū from 9 May to 1 June. She rejoined TF 38 for the final strike against Honshū and Hokkaidō from 1 July to 15 August.

Walter worked and retired from Life Savers Corporation after many years of service. He was active in the Barry Avenue AME Zion Church, Mamaroneck until his illness. He raised two sons and one daughter and took excellent care of his wife, who survived him.

Walter Keys died on May 1, 2003, at Sutton Park Nursing Home in New Rochelle, New York, when he was 77 years old.

Services were held at Barry Avenue AME Zion Church, Mamaroneck.

Name: Walter Keys Race: Negro (Black) Age: 18 Birth Date: 2 Aug 1925 Birth Place: Church View, VA Residence Place: Rye, West, New York Registration Date: 6 Aug 1943 Registration Place: Port Chester, New York, USA Employer: Ledman’s Dress Factory, North Main St Port Chester, N.Y. Weight: 153 Complexion: Light Brown Eye Color: Brown Hair Color: Black Height: 5” 9″ Next of Kin: Clara Hickman

Name: Walter Keys Social Security Number: 193-12-4198 Birth Date: 2 Aug 1925 Issue Year: Before 1951 Issue State: Pennsylvania Last Residence: 10553, Mount Vernon, Westchester, New York, USA Death Date: 1 May 2003