uss thresher (ssn 593)

USS THRESHERRememberingRemembering

Lest we forgetLest we forgetApril 10, 1963 April 10, 2013April 10, 1963

USS THRESHER (SSN593) was lost at sea with all aboard at about 9:18 a.m. on 10 April 1963, approximately 220 miles east of Boston, Massachusetts.

April 10, 2013

ABOUT USS THRESHER (SSN593)Displacement ...........3,700 (surfaced), .....................................4,300 (submerged)Length ........................278'6"Beam ...........................31' 8"Speed ..........................20+ knots Complement .............100Armament .................4 torpedo tubes

When commissioned on August 3, 1961, USS THRESHER (SSN593) represented the future of the Submarine Force. As the first of a new class of deep-diving, fast, and quiet attack submarines, THRESHER was the epitome of the Cold War submarine.

Following commissioning, THRESHER conducted a series of trials, tests and exercises before returning to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in July 1962 for her Post-Shakedown Availability which continued through the early spring of 1963.

On April 9, 1963 THRESHER departed Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for sea trials. Following a rendezvous with its escort USS SKYLARK (ASR20), THRESHER conducted various tests including a shallow dive and full-power propulsion test while proceeding to a second rendezvous point.

THE SUBSAFE CULTUREA Court of Inquiry convened on April 11, 1963 to inquire into the circumstances surrounding THRESHER’s loss. The Court concluded that a flooding casualty in the engine room is the most probable cause and that it is most likely that a piping system failure had occurred in one of THRESHER’s seawater systems. It was also concluded that in all probability water affected electrical circuits and caused a loss of power. The cascading events that led to this piping system failure and THRESHER’s inability to recover from it were found to have stemmed from a combination of a lack of specifications for systems, quality control, maintenance practices, and operational procedures.

The Court of Inquiry Report contained 19 recommendations, each of which were technically evaluated and incorporated into the Navy’s design and operational requirements. As a result, the Navy stood up a new safety program less than two months after THRESHER sank. On June 3, 1963, the Chief, Bureau of Ships established the Submarine Safety (SUBSAFE) Program. Today Naval Sea System Command’s Submarine Safety and Quality Assurance Office is responsible for managing the SUBSAFE Program.

The SUBSAFE Program’s mission is to provide maximum reasonable assurance of watertight integrity to preclude flooding and of operability of critical recovery systems should flooding occur. Maximum reasonable assurance is achieved by certifying that each submarine meets the SUBSAFE Program’s technical and administrative requirements upon delivery to the Navy and by maintaining that certification throughout the life of the submarine. Further, for a submarine to leave port and submerge, it must be certified in accordance with SUBSAFE Program requirements.

The program focuses its efforts on those areas or components of a submarine that, should they fail, would result in a high likelihood of loss of ship due to flooding. Such systems include the submarine’s pressure hull, seawater systems, high-pressure systems, openings between the submarine and the ocean, and “fly-by-wire” ship control systems (the SEAWOLF and VIRGINIA classes). Mission assurance and personnel safety, though side benefits, are not within the SUBSAFE Program’s purview.

SUBSAFE is central to the culture of our entire Navy submarine community, including designers, builders, maintainers, and operators. The SUBSAFE Program operates by four simple tenets:

• Clear, concise requirements,• Training to ensure qualified personnel are accomplishing the work,• Audits and surveillance to ensure qualified personnel are performing

the work correctly with the proper material, and• Accountability through documented objective quality evidence of the work.

In the world of submarines, it only takes a moment to fail. For that reason, the SUBSAFE Program built and continues to foster a culture based on healthy skepticism. This culture is a part of everyone, be they military, Civil Service, or contractor, who takes a role in certifying submarines. THRESHER’s loss led directly to establishing the SUBSAFE Program and the 129 men lost 50 years ago will always serve as a reminder of what happens when ignorance, arrogance, and complacency are allowed to exist.

THE SEARCH FOR THRESHERShortly after 9:17 a.m., when efforts to communicate with THRESHER had been unsuccessful, SKYLARK commenced an expanding search pattern. During the afternoon, SKYLARK was joined by patrol aircraft and USS RECOVERY (ASR43). At about 5:30 p.m. RECOVERY sighted an oil slick seven miles to the southeast of SKYLARK’s 9:17 a.m. position. Recovery assets subsequently located debris, recovering gloves and bits of internal insulation, materials which could have come from THRESHER.

On April 12, Secretary of the Navy Fred Korth issued an official declaration that THRESHER and all on board were lost.

In August 1963 the bathyscaph TRIESTE located THRESHER’s wreckage in 8,400 feet of water some 220 miles east of Boston.

SHIP’S COMPANYArsenault, Tilmon J., ENCA (SS)-P2, USN

Babcock, Ronald C., LTJG, USN

Bain, Ronald E., EN2 (SS)-P2, USN

Bell, John E., MMI-P2, USN

Bobbitt, Edgar S., EM2 (SS)-P2, USN

Boster, Gerald C., EM3 (SS)-P1, USN

Bracey, George (n), 5D3 (SS), USN

Brann, Richard P., EN2 (SS)-P2, USN

Carkoski, Richard J., EN2 (SS), USN

Carmody, Patrick W., 5K2, USN

Cayey, Steven G., TM2 (SS), USN

Christiansen, Edward (n), SN (SS), USN

Claussen, Larry W., EM2 (SS)-P2, USN

Clements, Thomas E., ETR3 (SS), USN

Collier, Merrill F., LT, USN

Cummings, Francis M., SOS2 (SS), USN

Dabruzzi, Samuel J., ETN2 (SS), USN

Davison, Clyde E., III, ETR3-P1, USN

Day, Donald C., EN3 (SS), USN

Denny, Roy O., Jr., EM1 (SS)-P2, USN

Di Nola, Michael J., LCDR, USN

DiBella, Peter J., SN, USN

Dundas, Don R., ETN2 (SS), USN

Dyer, Troy E., ET1 (SS)-P1, USN

Forni, Ellwood H., SOCA (SS)-P1, USN

Foti, Raymond P., ET1 (SS), USN

Freeman, Larry W., FTM2 (SS), USN

Fusco, Gregory J., EM2 (SS)-P2, USN

Gallant, Andrew J., Jr., HMC (SS), USN

Garcia, Napoleon T., SD1 (SS), USN

Garner, John E., YNSN (SS), USN

Garner, Pat M., LCDR, USN

Gaynor, Robert W., EN2 (SS), USN

Gosnell, Robert H., SA (SS), USNR

Grafton, John G., LTJG, USN

Graham, William E., SOC (SS)-Pl, USN

Gunter, Aaron J., QM1 (SS), USN

Hall, Richard C., ETR2 (SS)-P2, USN

Harvey, John W., LCDR, USN (CO of THRESHER)

Hayes, Norman T., EM1-P1, USN

Heiser, Laird G., MM1-P2, USN

Helsius, Marvin T., MM2, USN

Henry, James J., Jr., LTJG, USN

Hewitt, Leonard H., EMCA (SS), USN

Hoague, Joseph H., TM1 (SS), USN

Hodge, James P., EM2, USN

Hudson, John F., EN1 (SS), USN

Inglis, John P., FN, USNR

Johnson, Edward A., ENCA (SS), USN

Johnson, Richard L., RMSA, USN

Johnson, Robert E., TMC (SS)-P1, USN

Johnson, Thomas B., ET1 (SS)-P2, USN

Johnson, Brawner G., FTG1 (SS)-P2, USN

Jones, Richard W., EM2 (SS), USN

Kaluza, Edmund J., SOS2 (SS)-P1, USN

Kantz, Thomas C., ETR2 (SS), USN

Kearney, Robert D., MM3, USN

Keiler, Ronald D., IC2 (SS)-P2, USN

Kiesecker, George J., MM2 (SS)-P2, USN

Klier, Billy M., EN1 (SS) P2, USN

Kroner, George R., CS3, USN

Lanouette, Norman G., QM1 (SS), USN

Lavoie, Wayne W., YN1 (SS), USN

Lyman, John S., Jr., LCDR, USN

Mabry, Templeman N., Jr., EN2 (SS)-P2, USN

Malinski, Frank J., LTJG, USN

Mann, Richard H., Jr., IC2 (SS), USN

Marullo, Julius F., Jr., QM1 (SS), USN

McClelland, Douglas R., EM2 (SS), USN

McCord, Donald J., MM1 (SS)-P2 USN

McDonough, Karl P., TM3 (SS), USN

Middleton, Sidney L., MM1 (SS)-P2, USN

Muise, Ronald A., CS2, USN

Musselwhite, James A., ETN2 (SS)-P2, USN

Nault, Donald E., CS1 (SS), USN

Noonis, Walter J., RMC (SS), USN

Norris, John D., ET1 (SS)-P2, USN

Oetting, Chesley C., EM2-P2, USN

Parsons, Guy C., Jr., LTJG, USN

Pennington, Roscoe C., EMCA (SS)-P2, USN

Peters, James G., EMCS-P2. USN

Phillippi, James F., SOS2 (SS), USN

Philput, Dan A., EN2 (SS)-P2, USN

Podwell, Richard (n), MM2-P2, USN

Regan, John S., MM1 (SS)-P2, USN

Ritchie, James P., RM2, USN

Robison, Pervis (n), Jr., SN, USN

Rountree, Glenn A., QM2 (SS), USN

Rushetski, Anthony A., ETN2, USN

Schiewe, James M., EM1 (SS)-P2, USN

Shafer, Benjamin N., EMCM (SS)-P2, USN

Shafer, John D., EMCS (SS)-P2, USN

Shimko, Joseph T., MM1-P2, USN

Shotwell, Burnett M., ETRSN, USN

Sinnett, Alan D., FTG2 (SS),USN

Smarz, John (n), Jr., LT, USN

Smith, William H., Jr., BT1-P2, USN

Snider, James L., MM1, USN

Solomon, Ronald H., EM1-P2, USN

Steinel, Robert E., SO1 (SS)-P1, USN

Van Pelt, Roger E., IC1 (SS)-P2, USN

Walski, Joseph A., RMl (55)-P1, USN

Wasel, David A., RMSN, USN

Wiggins, Charles L., FTG1-P2, USN

Wiley, John J., LTJG, USN

Wise, Donald E., MMCA (SS)-P2, USN

Wolfe, Ronald E., QMSN (SS),USN

Zweifel, Jay H., EM2-P1, USN

Abrams, Fred P., Civilian Employee, Production Department, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Allen, Philip H., LCDR, USN, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Beal, Daniel W., Jr., Civilian Employee, Combat Systems Division, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Biederman, Robert D., LT, USN, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Billings, John H., LCDR, USN, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Charron, Robert E., Civilian Employee, Design Division, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Corcoran, Kenneth R., Contractor’s Representative, Sperry Corp.

Critchley, Kenneth J., Civilian Employee, Production Department, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Currier, Paul C., Civilian Employee, Production Department, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Des Jardins, Richard R., Civilian Employee, Combat Systems Division, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Dineen, George J., Civilian Employee, Production Department, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Fisher, Richard K., Civilian Employee, Design Division, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Guerette, Paul A., Civilian Employee, Design Division, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Jaquay, Maurice F., Contractor's Representative, Raytheon Corp.

Keuster, Donald W.,Naval Ordnance Laboratory

Krag, Robert L., LCDR, USN, Staff, Deputy Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet

Moreau, Henry C., Civilian Employee, Production Department, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Palmer, Franklin J.,Civilian Employee, Production Department, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Prescott, Robert D., Civilian Employee, Design Division, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Shipyard

Stadtmuller, Donald T., Contractor’s Representative, Sperry Corp

Whitten, Lawrence E., Civilian Employee, Combat Systems Division, Portsmouth Naval Shipyardt

PERSONNEL OTHER THAN SHIP’S COMPANY

TIMELINE OF THRESHER’S LOSS — APRIL 10, 1963

0745 0800 0815 0830 0845 0900 0930

0747 – THRESHER initiates a deep dive test.

0752 – THRESHER levels off at 400 feet and reports no issues.

0915

0809 – THRESHER reports to SKYLARK that she has reached one-half test depth.

0825 – THRESHER reaches test depth.

0913 – SKYLARK pages THRESHER, performing an underwater telephone check called a gertrude check.

0914 – THRESHER ’s garbled response said, in part, “experiencing minor difficulties, have positive up angle, attempting to blow.” This transmission was accompanied by the hissing of compressed air being released into THRESHER’s ballast tanks.

0915 – SKYLARK receives an unintelligible transmission from THRESHER.

0917 – Another message from THRESHER is detected. While it is mostly garbled, the words, “exceeding test depth” can be heard.

0918 – SKYLARK hears the unmistakable sounds of a submarine imploding.