Susan Ring Keith Christens the USS CORONADO


In mid-January, the Ring-Keith-Drouin family, with numerous friends, will arrive in Mobile, Alabama, for the christening of the Navy’s new Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS CORONADO. The ship looks like a space-age vehicle, likened to a jet ski that is 400 feet long. She will be launched on January 14th, as Susan Ring Keith cracks the champagne across her bow and she becomes the fourth ship named after our beloved community. California champagne used for the christening will have a Hotel Del Coronado label on it. Susan follows in the footsteps of her mother, Eleanor Ring Storrs, who christened the last CORONADO in Seattle, Washington, in 1966.


Susan Kieth is a long time CHA Board member. Helping Susan with her sponsor duties will be her daughter, Belle Keith Drouin, and three granddaughters, Hannah Drouin, Ellie Keith and Erin Keith. The ship has months to go before she will be ready to join the fleet, but when


she does, her commissioning is hoped to be right here in Coronado where the public, and all Coronadans, will welcome her and the crew into the Coronado family. For more information about the ship and how you might become involved, please go to: coronadocommissioning.net/support-for-commissioning


Photo of sister ship, the USS Independence (LCS-2), which was launched last year.


New Accessions


Annette Foote Onstott: Two Coronado High School yearbooks for the years 1926 and 1928. The yearbooks belonged to the donor’s mother who was a resident of Coronado.


Kent D. Trego: Memorial plaque to the first Alvin submarine which was built in the early 1960s by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute with the Office of Naval Research. This was the first small deep-diving manned submarine developed for oceanographic research in the United States. The Office of Naval Research and the US Navy played important roles in its development.


Sharon Considine: One hand-drawn map of Coronado produced by E.D. Park Realty Company and three black and white photographs of historic Coronado.


Lois Culverwell Gadsby: 42 black and white photographs depicting Coronado during the early years of naval aviation, including Rockwell Field.


6 www.coronadohistory.org


Mary Beth Selz: One book, Hotel del Coronado: First Hundred Years, Collector’s Edition.


Leitha Marsolais: One dress that was worn at an 8th grade graduation around the 19th century in addition to one additional dress from the 19th century.


Ann Boyd: One book entitled, “The Coronado Story” by J. Harold Peterson.


Chase Bank: One book, I Remember, Do You? and two plaques awarded to L.E. Hansen for great service to the community, and one scrapbook that describes the merger between Coronado Federal and Home Federal in Coronado. The scrapbook contains news clippings and photographs. The bank is currently a Chase Bank in Coronado on Orange Avenue.


Susan Ring Keith: Three American Red Cross Uniforms from World War II worn by the donor’s mother, Eleanor Reynolds


Ring Storrs, who was very active with the Red Cross Motor Service. Each uniform includes a jacket, skirt and hat.


The museum recently also recorded oral histories with the following community members:


Joe Delasalas, Claire “Ducky”


Laughlin, Carl & Marianne Turnipseed, Melody Hyde Morgan, Patty Jepson , Joe Talbert, John Elwell, Betty Mott Reynolds and Carla Klindt Walker.


American Red Cross uniform jacket from WWII


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