TEMECULA, Calif. — August 20, 2026 — Retired U.S. Air Force officer Keith McCray announces the release of his memoir, Between the Wire and the Sea: A Memoir of Hope and Hard Lessons in Guantanamo Bay, 1994, offering a firsthand account of his experience serving with Haitian refugees at Guantánamo Bay during a pivotal humanitarian crisis.
McCray's deployment placed him in an unfamiliar and
challenging environment where military service, faith, humanitarian work, and
human suffering intersected. Assigned to a chaplain team, he worked alongside
translators and other military personnel to support Haitian refugees living in
camps at Guantánamo Bay.
The memoir takes readers beyond the military operation
itself and into the lives of the people McCray encountered. He describes
arriving at Guantánamo Bay and adjusting to difficult living conditions before
discovering the deeper purpose of his assignment: serving as a liaison,
listening to refugees' concerns, providing spiritual support, and helping meet
their needs.
One of the most powerful moments came when McCray and his
fellow chaplain entered Camp 3 and were immediately surrounded by hundreds of
Haitian refugees seeking answers about their future, living conditions, food,
supplies, and the possibility of moving to America. The experience forced him
to confront the limits of what he could provide—and taught him that sometimes
simply returning, listening, and being present could make a difference.
As the days passed, McCray began building relationships with
families and earning their trust. He listened to stories of loss, violence,
displacement, and survival, including those of parents, children, teachers,
ministers, and other refugees whose lives had been profoundly disrupted. Rather
than offering easy answers, he learned the importance of sitting with people in
their pain and acknowledging their experiences.
The memoir also highlights the resilience of the Haitian
community. McCray encountered ministers who continued their spiritual work
inside the camps, teachers who continued educating children despite losing
their classrooms, and families who maintained hope despite tremendous
uncertainty.
At its heart, Between the Wire and the Sea is a story
about hope, service, faith, resilience, and the hard lessons that emerge
when people are confronted with circumstances beyond their control.
“I learned to listen better, ask fewer questions, offer more
presence, and let silence do its work.”
Through his personal memories, McCray provides readers with
an intimate perspective on a difficult chapter at Guantánamo Bay and the human
connections that emerged behind the fences.
About Keith McCray
Keith McCray is a retired U.S. Air Force officer
whose experiences at Guantánamo Bay during the 1994 Haitian refugee crisis
became a defining chapter of his military career. His memoir preserves the
stories, encounters, challenges, and lessons he carried with him from that
experience.
Media Contact
Keith McCray
Temecula, California, USA
Email: keith.mccray10@yahoo.com
Phone: 850-240-8480
Book: Between the Wire and the Sea
Subtitle: A Memoir of Hope and Hard Lessons in Guantanamo Bay, 1994
Author: Keith McCray