by C. William Mattoon

On April 9, 1963, USS Thresher (SSN 593) departed the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard with 112 crew members and 17 technical observers for deep diving exercises in an area approximately 200 miles East of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  On 10 April 1963 the USS Thresher (SSN 593) was lost with all hands; two of those individuals were Vermont Submariners, James P. Ritchie, 22 from Burlington, VT and Edward A. Johnson, 34 from Hardwick, VT.

The Green Mountain Submarine Sailors from Green Mountain Submarine Base of the United States Submarine Veterans have not forgotten the loss of our Vermont Submarine brothers.  The loss of those individuals resulted in massive design changes to the modern Submarine that undoubtedly has saved Submariners lives.  

The 63rd Memorial Service will be held by the Thresher Base, United States Submarine Veterans on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 1300 hours, (1 P.M.), at Robert W. Traip Academy, 12 Williams Avenue, Kittery, ME

To find out more about the Green Mountain Submariners, United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. contact Bill Mattoon via e-mail:  cmattoon@vermontel.net 

Author is Commander, Green Mountain Base Submarine Veterans.