[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 58 (Thursday, April 10, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5250-S5251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 35--HONORING THE 129 SAILORS AND CIVILIANS 
   LOST ABOARD THE U.S.S. THRESHER ON APRIL 10, 1963, AND URGING THE 
SECRETARY OF THE ARMY TO ERECT A MEMORIAL TO THIS TRAGEDY IN ARLINGTON 
                           NATIONAL CEMETERY

  Mr. SUNUNU (for himself, Mr. Gregg, Ms. Snowe, and Ms. Collins) 
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs:

                            S. Con. Res. 35

       Whereas the U.S.S. Thresher was first launched at 
     Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on July 9, 1960;
       Whereas the 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 military 
     and civilian personnel in the naval submarine service, and in 
     the protection of the Nation;
       Whereas at approximately 7:47 a.m. on April 10, 1963, while 
     in communication with the surface ship U.S.S. Skylark, and 
     approximately 300 miles off the coast of New England, the 
     U.S.S. Thresher began her final descent;
       Whereas the U.S.S. Thresher was declared lost with all 
     hands on April 10, 1963; and
       Whereas the crew of the U.S.S. Thresher demonstrated the 
     ``last full measure of devotion'' in service to this Nation, 
     and this devotion characterizes the sacrifices of all 
     submariners, past and present: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) remembers with profound sorrow the loss of the U.S.S. 
     Thresher and her gallant crew of sailors and civilians on 
     April 10, 1963; and
       (2) urges the Secretary of the Army to erect a memorial in 
     Arlington National Cemetery, to be paid for with private 
     funds, honoring the crew of the U.S.S. Thresher, and to all 
     United States submariners who have lost their lives in the 
     line of duty.

  Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. President, last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously 
passed S. Res. 102, a resolution I introduced that pays tribute to the 
129 officers, sailors and civilians who tragically lost their lives 
aboard the nuclear submarine, U.S.S. Thresher.
  Today, on the 40th anniversary of the loss of the Thresher, I once 
again join with Senators Gregg, Snowe and Collins to introduce 
legislation which calls on the Secretary of the Army to erect a 
memorial at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the crew who were lost 
on the Thresher as well as other nuclear submariners lost at sea. 
Companion legislation is being introduced in the House of 
Representatives by Congressman Jeb Bradley.
  As I stated last week, the U.S.S. Thresher was built at the 
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and commissioned in August of 1961 as the 
lead vessel in a new class of nuclear-powered attack submarines. After 
putting to sea, she was subjected to more than a year of tests along 
the eastern coast of the United States. In late 1962, the Thresher 
returned to New England for an overhaul where she remained until the 
spring of 1963.
  On April 9, 1963, the Thresher departed the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard 
to conduct deep-diving exercises some 200 miles off the coast of New 
England. In the morning hours of April 10, 1963, after reaching her 
assigned depth, the U.S.S. Thresher, signaled her companion surface 
ship, the U.S.S. Skylark, that it was experiencing difficulties. 
Shortly thereafter, the crew of the Skylark realized that something had 
gone wrong as they heard the sound of the Thresher breaking apart.
  The inquiry following the loss of the Thresher identified the 
probable cause of the accident as a failure in the piping which led to 
a subsequent loss of power and ultimately an inability to blow the 
ballast tanks which would have allowed the Thresher to rise. As a 
result of the inquiry, the Navy initiated key changes aimed at ensuring 
the safety of future submarines, and by extension, their crews. The 
safety of today's modern submarine fleet is a direct result of the 
lessons learned following the loss of the Thresher.
  Those who have served aboard America's submarine fleet over the years 
have genuine appreciation and gratitude for the sacrifice made by the 
crew of the Thresher. While modern submariners admire and respect these 
heroes, their sacrifice is largely unknown to many Americans. That is 
why I believe a memorial on the hallowed ground of Arlington National 
Cemetery to the crew of the U.S.S. Thresher will allow the memory of 
these 129 brave individuals to be given the honor and respect they are 
due. In addition to paying tribute to the Thresher, the memorial would 
honor all nuclear submariners who have lost their lives at sea.

[[Page S5251]]

  Mr. President, I am aware that there are space constraints at 
Arlington. However, the memorial we are calling for would encompass a 
limited area--approximately the size of two burial plots. This would 
allow for enough space to pay proper respect to these American heroes. 
The legislation we are introducing today urges the Army to locate and 
allocate such space.
  I encourage my colleagues to join Senators Gregg, Snowe, Collins and 
me in honoring these individuals by supporting this measure, and I ask 
for its speedy consideration by the Senate.
  Thank you, Mr. President.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that an editorial from the 
April 6th edition of Dover, New Hampshire's Foster's Sunday Citizen 
titled ``Build a Memorial to the Thresher'' be included in the Record 
at the conclusion of my remarks.

                   Build a Memorial To Honor Thresher

       As the most powerful military force ever to navigate the 
     seas, the invincibility of today's United States Navy is the 
     sum of myriad successes and tragic failures throughout its 
     history.
       The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has played as big a part--if 
     not bigger--in the Navy's evolution as any other entity. The 
     yard and the residents of our region can be proud of 
     contributions made here over more than two centuries to the 
     evolution of our national defense at sea.
       That is why it is important for us to preserve the memory 
     of the USS Thresher and her crew, all of whom perished on 
     April 10, 1963, in the deep ocean.
       The preservation of that memory was the reason why people 
     gathered at the shipyard on Saturday. They wanted to remember 
     the boat and her crew--96 sailors, 16 officers and 17 
     employees of the shipyard.
       Besides the New Hampshire and Maine congressional 
     delegations, many in attendance were relatives of those who 
     perished and whose sacrifice resulted in monumental changes 
     to the way submarines after 1963 were constructed for the 
     U.S. Navy.
       As a result, it is entirely appropriate for the delegation 
     to call for the construction of a memorial to the USS 
     Thresher and her crew at Arlington National Cemetery. Given 
     the magnitude of the Thresher's contributions to submarine 
     safety during the past 40 years, it is difficult not to 
     support such a project.
       As a result of their sacrifice, the SubSafe program was 
     created. Regulations on hull integrity and pressure-related 
     components for submarines were strengthened. The sinking of 
     the Thresher has resulted in the lives of countless 
     submariners being saved because of safety improvement to the 
     vessels they worked on.
       Since the Thresher, not one submarine has been lost under 
     similar circumstances.
       The USS Thresher was the harbinger of the awesome attack 
     submarines we have today to protect our shores and interests 
     abroad. The debt we owe to the crew and civilians who 
     accepted--on our nation's behalf--the hazards of living and 
     working under water cannot be repaid.
       Building a memorial to preserve their memory and 
     contributions is the best we are able to do.

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