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USS Thresher (SSN-593), second US ship to bear the name and lead ship of a class of 3700-ton nuclear-powered attack submarines, was laid down on May 28, 1958 at the [Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]?, [Kittery, Maine]?; launched on July 9, 1960; sponsored by Mrs. Frederick B. Warder; and commissioned on August 3, 1961 with Commander Dean W. Axene in command. She conducted lengthy trials in the western Atlantic and Caribbean areas in 1961 and 1962, providing a thorough evaluation of her many new technological features and weapons. |
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USS Thresher (SSN-593), second US Navy ship to bear the name and lead ship of a class of 3700-ton nuclear-powered attack submarines, was laid down on May 28, 1958 at the [Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]?, [Kittery, Maine]?; launched on July 9, 1960; sponsored by Mrs. Frederick B. Warder; and commissioned on August 3, 1961 with Commander Dean W. Axene in command. She conducted lengthy trials in the western Atlantic and Caribbean areas in 1961 and 1962, providing a thorough evaluation of her many new technological features and weapons. |
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On October 18 Thresherheaded south along the east coast. After calling at [San Juan, Puerto Rico]?, she conducted further trials and test-fired her torpedo system before returning to Portsmouth on November 29. The ship remained in port through the end of the year and spent the first two months of 1962 evaluating her sonar? system and her Submarine Rocket (SUBROC?) system. In March, the submarine participated in NUSUBEX 2-62, an exercise designed to improve the tactical capabilities of nuclear submarines, and in antisubmarine warfare training with Task Group ALPHA. |
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On October 18 Thresher headed south along the east coast. After calling at [San Juan, Puerto Rico]?, she conducted further trials and test-fired her torpedo system before returning to Portsmouth on November 29. The ship remained in port through the end of the year and spent the first two months of 1962 evaluating her sonar? system and her Submarine Rocket (SUBROC?) system. In March, the submarine participated in NUSUBEX 2-62, an exercise designed to improve the tactical capabilities of nuclear submarines, and in antisubmarine warfare training with Task Group ALPHA. |
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On April 10, 1963, after the completion of this work, Thresher began post-overhaul trials. Accompanied by the submarine rescue ship [USS Skylark (ASR-20)]?, she transited to an area some 220 miles east of [Cape Cod]?, Massachusetts, and started deep-diving tests. As these proceeded, garbled communications were received by Skylark, indicating trouble aboard the submarine. It gradually became apparent that she had sunk, taking the lives of 129 officers, crewmen and civilian technicians. |
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On April 10, 1963, after the completion of this work, Thresher began post-overhaul trials. Accompanied by the submarine rescue ship [USS Skylark (ASR-20)]?, she transited to an area some 350km (220 miles) east of [Cape Cod]?, Massachusetts, and started deep-diving tests. As these proceeded, garbled communications were received by Skylark, indicating trouble aboard the submarine. It gradually became apparent that she had sunk, taking the lives of 129 officers, crewmen and civilian technicians. |
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After an extensive underwater search utilizing the bathyscaph Trieste, oceanographic ship Mizar, and other ships, Thresher's remains were located on the sea floor, some 8400 feet below the surface, in six major sections. The majority of the debris is in an area of about 400 yards square. The major sections are the sail, sonar dome, bow section, engineering spaces section, operations spaces section, and the tail section. Deep sea photography, recovered artifacts and an evaluation of her design and operations permitted a Court of Inquiry to determine that she had probably sunk due to a piping failure, subsequent loss of power and inability to blow ballast tanks rapidly enough to avoid sinking. Over the next several years, a massive program was undertaken to correct design and construction problems on the Navy's existing nuclear submarines, and on those under construction and in planning. Following completion of this "SubSafe?" effort, the US Navy has suffered no further losses of the kind that ended Thresher's brief service career. |
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After an extensive underwater search utilizing the bathyscaph Trieste, oceanographic ship Mizar, and other ships, Thresher's remains were located on the sea floor, some 2560 meters (8400 feet) below the surface, in six major sections. The majority of the debris is in an area of about 134,000m2 (400 yards square). The major sections are the sail, sonar dome, bow section, engineering spaces section, operations spaces section, and the tail section. Deep sea photography, recovered artifacts and an evaluation of her design and operations permitted a Court of Inquiry to determine that she had probably sunk due to a piping failure, subsequent loss of power and inability to blow ballast tanks rapidly enough to avoid sinking. Over the next several years, a massive program was undertaken to correct design and construction problems on the Navy's existing nuclear submarines, and on those under construction and in planning. Following completion of this "SubSafe?" effort, the US Navy has suffered no further losses of the kind that ended Thresher's brief service career. |
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* displacement: 3,700 (surfaced), 4,300 (submerged) * length: 278'6" * beam: 31'8" |
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* displacement: 3,700 tons (surfaced), 4,300 tons (submerged) * length: 85 meters (278'6") * beam: 9.5 meters (31'8") |
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See also USS Scorpion (SSN-589). |
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See also USS Scorpion (SSN-589). |
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