H.Res. 145 — Introduced in House

IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 145 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 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.