[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 145 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 145

Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the sinking of U.S.S. Thresher (SSN 
                                 593).


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2013

 Ms. Shea-Porter (for herself and Ms. Pingree of Maine) submitted the 
  following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
                                Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the sinking of U.S.S. Thresher (SSN 
                                 593).

Whereas U.S.S. Thresher was first launched at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on July 
        9, 1960;
Whereas U.S.S. Thresher departed Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for her final voyage 
        on April 9, 1963, with a crew of 16 officers, 96 sailors, and 17 
        civilians;
Whereas the mix of that crew reflects the unity of the naval submarine service, 
        military and civilian, in the protection of the United States;
Whereas at approximately 7:47 a.m. on April 10, 1963, while in communication 
        with the surface ship U.S.S. Skylark, and approximately 220 miles off 
        the coast of New England, U.S.S. Thresher began her final descent;
Whereas U.S.S. Thresher was declared lost with all hands on April 10, 1963;
Whereas in response to the loss of U.S.S. Thresher, the United States Navy 
        instituted new regulations to ensure the health of the submariners and 
        the safety of the submarines of the United States;
Whereas those regulations led to the establishment of the Submarine Safety and 
        Quality Assurance program (SUBSAFE), now one of the most comprehensive 
        military safety programs in the world;
Whereas SUBSAFE has kept the submariners of the United States safe at sea ever 
        since as the strongest, safest submarine force in history;
Whereas, since the establishment of SUBSAFE, no SUBSAFE-certified submarine has 
        been lost at sea, which is a legacy owed to the brave individuals who 
        perished aboard U.S.S. Thresher;
Whereas from the loss of U.S.S. Thresher, there arose in the institutions of 
        higher education in the United States the ocean engineering curricula 
        that enables the preeminence of the United States in submarine warfare; 
        and
Whereas the crew of U.S.S. Thresher demonstrated the ``last full measure of 
        devotion'' in service to the United States, and this devotion 
        characterizes the sacrifices of all submariners, past and present: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the 50th anniversary of the sinking of 
        U.S.S. Thresher;
            (2) remembers with profound sorrow the loss of U.S.S. 
        Thresher and her gallant crew of sailors and civilians on April 
        10, 1963; and
            (3) expresses its deepest gratitude to all submariners on 
        ``eternal patrol'', who are forever bound together by dedicated 
        and honorable service to the United States of America.
                                 <all>