USS Thresher (SSN-593) Disaster: Ten Questions Our FOIA Lawsuit Hopes to Answer

[rangerrebew]

USS Thresher (SSN-593) Disaster: Ten Questions Our FOIA Lawsuit Hopes to Answer
By Captain Jim Bryant, U.S. Navy (Retired), Nick Wulfekuhle, and Steve Walsh
April 2020
 

The USS Thresher (SSN-593) was lost at sea on 10 April 1963 during its first deep dive test (DDT) after a nine-month post-shakedown availability (PSA) at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY). It was the first and remains the world’s worst nuclear submarine disaster, killing all 129 people on board. The July 2018 Proceedings article “Declassify the Thresher Data” described contributing factors to the loss and rejected the Naval Court of Inquiry (NCOI) Report’s opinion there was major flooding before implosion.1

The Thresher sank at a time when the United States was rapidly advancing technologically and during a period of geopolitical and military competition with the Soviet Union. What was the mindset that allowed the then-most advanced nuclear submarine in the world to be lost on what was supposed to be a routine and carefully planned dive to test depth (TD)? Being able to study all the factors contributing to Thresher’s loss could help prevent a similar disaster.

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/april/uss-thresher-ssn-593-disaster-ten-questions-our-foia-lawsuit-hopes

[Smokin Joe]

Good. I was a kid when this happened, and remember the sub going down, also the Scorpion a few years later.

[EdinVA]

So, other than for the purpose of self promotion, why are we wasting time and money on this?
None of the questions and supposed answers will have an impact on today's fleet due to the technological advancements over the last 57 years.
The most important question should have been, why was rescue not attempted/successful?
I could care less about the boat, it is the people that should be the paramount issue.