The nuclear-powered attack submarine named for a shark was supposed to be the most advanced, the lead boat of its class.
Nearly three years after the USS Thresher was launched by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, it met a tragic fate.
The 279-foot sub sank April 10,1963 during deep-diving tests, taking all 129 crew members to their watery graves.
At 1 p.m. April 12, the 62nd Annual USS Thresher Memorial Service will be held at R. W. Traip Academy in Kittery.
The first nuclear submarine to be lost went down 220 miles offshore.
An investigation showed that the sub probably had faulty welds on the salt-water piping system.
The chapel at the Kittery yard, where the sub was built, was renamed Thresher Memorial Chapel.
On April 12,1963, President Kennedy issued Executive Order 11104 paying tribute to the Thresher’s crew by ordering all national flags to half-staff
Sixty-two Years After USS Thresher Sank, Annual Ceremony To Honor Memories Of 129 Sailors
By Ted Cohen
