On April 5, 2003, a memorial service was held at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard honoring the loss of 129 crew members, US Naval Submarine Officer Observers, and civilian support personnel aboard the USS Thresher during sea trials off of the New England coast on April 10, 1963.

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Memorial Service Events, Saturday, April 5, 2003

• 1300: 40th USS Thresher Memorial Service, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
  
• 1430: Family Member and Memorial Service Guests Social, Tirante Tavern, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

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Memorial Service Program

Select USS Thresher (SSN-593) 40th Commemorative Service Program to view.

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Guest Speakers

Speaker's biographies may be accessed by clicking on their respective photo.

The Honorable Congressman Jeb Bradley
United States House of Representatives, New Hampshire

Vice Admiral Albert H. Konetzni, Jr., USN
Deputy and Chief of Staff, Commander, U.S. Atlantic Fleet

Captain Kevin M. McCoy, USN
Commander, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

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Rear Admiral Dean Axene, Former USS Thresher Commanding Officer
Provided Comments Read by Bob Bellisle

Unable to travel from Florida, Rear Admiral Dean Axene provided comments that Bob Bellisle read on his behalf to the USS Thresher family members and former crew at the Memorial Ceremony.

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Guest Performers

Lori Arsenault
Classical Guitarist, Singer/Songwriter

The Navy Hymn was sung and accompanied with guitar by Lori Arsenault, daughter of ENCA(SS) Tilmon J. Arsenault. Click on Lori's portrait for a biography of this very talented and accomplished musician.

George Stevens, Cold War Submarine Veteran Plays Taps at Wreath Laying Ceremony

George A. Stevens Jr., flugelhorn and trumpet, is employed as a Principal Electrical Engineer at Sandial Systems, Portsmouth NH. A classically trained musician, George participated in various musical competitions during his early music years including NH All-State, All-Eastern, and McDonalds' All-American Band. After a 6 year hitch with the US Navy Submarine Service, George returned to NH to enter the Electronics Industry and resumed his musical interests as a "freelance" classical/jazz musician, performing and recording with such groups as NH Wind Symphony, The Belknap Brass Quintet, Ted Herbert Big Band, Seacoast Big Band, Northeast Big Band, Dave Rasmussen Jazz Orchestra, The Movers, and The State Street Rhythm and Blues Band. George has performed with such jazz artists as Clark Terry, Eddie Daniels, Peter Arsine, and Phil Wilson. He is currently soloist and Trumpet Section Leader of the NH National Guard 39th Army Band

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Naval Submarine School Class Named After USS Thresher

The U.S. Naval Submarine School class scheduled to graduate on April 11, 2003 has been given the class name Thresher, in honor of the loss of the USS Thresher. The Thresher class attended the USS Thresher Memorial Service on April 5, along with the Color Guard and Ceremonial Rifle Squad from the Naval Submarine Base, Groton. Members of the USS Thresher 40th Memorial Service committee attended the U.S. Naval Submarine School graduation ceremony on April 11, 2003.

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USS Thresher Family Members
& Former USS Thresher Crew Members In Attendance

The following is list of relatives of those lost on the USS Thresher and USS Thresher Former Crew who attended the 40th Memorial Service..

1. Absmeier, Gina (Tilmon Arsenault)
2. Absmeier, Jim (Tilmon Arsenault)
3. Absmeier, Marie (Tilmon Arsenault)
4. Absmeier, Samantha (Tilmon Arsenault)
5. Arsenault, Lorraine (Tilmon Arsenault)
6. Bacon, Timothy (Paul Currier)
7. Bobbitt, James (Edgar Bobbitt)
8. Bobbitt, Johnnie (Edgar Bobbitt)
9. Bobbitt, Megan (Edgar Bobbitt)
10. Boxer, Debbie (Tilmon Arsenault)
11. Burns, Susan DesJardins & family (Richard DesJardins)
12. Butler, Gert (Former Crew)
13. Butler, Ray (Former Crew)
14. Colander, Lou (Former Crew)
15. Colander, Gloria (Former Crew)
16. Colburn, Everett (Richard Jones)
17. Collier, Neal (Merrill Collier)
18. Collier, Carol (Merrill Collier)
19. Cook, John (Former Crew)
20. Cook, Pat (Former Crew)
21. Couillard, David (Donald Wise)
22. Couillard, Eden (Donald Wise)
23. Couillard, Jillian (Donald Wise)
24. Couillard, Nancy (Donald Wise)
25. Currier, Barbara (Paul Currier)
26. Currier, Beverly (Paul Currier)
27. Currier, Ellen (Paul Currier)
28. Currier, John (Paul Currier)
29. Currier, Paul (Paul Currier)
30. Currier, Peter (Paul Currier)
31. DesJardins, Elizabeth (Richard DesJardins)
32. DeStefano, Frank (Former Crew)
33. DeStefano, Jo (Former Crew)
34. DiBella, Elizabeth (Peter DiBella)
35. DiNola, Debbie (Michael DiNola)
36. DiNola, Donna (Michael DiNola)
37. DiNola, Edna (Michael DiNola)
38. DiNola, Mark (Michael DiNola)
39. DiNola, Matthew (Michael DiNola)
40. DiNola, Michael (Michael DiNola)
41. Dockery, Maria (Tilmon Arsenault)
42. Dockery, Richard (Tilmon Arsenault)
43. Doucette, Dorris (Tilmon Arsenault)
44. Doucette, Ray (Tilmon Arsenault)
45. Douglas, Judith Smarz (John Smarz)
46. Duckwall, Sandra Palmer (Franklin Palmer)
47. Edwards, Dale T. (Tilmon Arsenault)
48. Edwards, Sean T. (Tilmon Arsenault)
49. Engle, Claire (Former Crew)
50. Engle, Raymond (Former Crew)
51. Estes, Laura (Former Crew)
52. Estes, Pauline (Former Crew)
53. Estes, Ron (Former Crew)
54. Fehn, Frank (Roger Van Pelt)
55. Fehn, Lucille (Roger Van Pelt)
56. Fiorillo, Carol (Roy Denny)
57. Frederick, Joe (Former Crew)
58. Frederick, Louise (Former Crew)
59. Freeman, Bill (Larry Freeman)
60. Freeman, Bradley (Larry Freeman)
61. Freeman, Candy (Larry Freeman)
62. Freeman, Guy (Larry Freeman)
63. Freeman, Larry (Larry Freeman)
64. Freeman, Sr., Leon (Larry Freeman)
65. Freeman, Jr., Leon (Larry Freeman)
66. Freeman, Shannon (Larry Freeman)
67. Freeman, Stephanie (Larry Freeman)
68. Glover, Grace (Tilmon Arsenault)
69. Gould, Robert (Gregory Fusco)
70. Gould, Mrs. Robert (Gregory Fusco)
71. Guilford, Hal (John Lyman)
72. Harvey, David (Former Crew)
73. Harvey, Jr., John W. (John Harvey Sr.)
74. Harvey, Maureen (Former Crew)
75. Helwig, Donna(Tilmon Arsenault)
76. Henderson, Richard (Tilmon Arsenault)
77. Herrmann, Christina (Charles Wiggins)
78. Herrmann, Dawn (Charles Wiggins)
79. Herrmann, Gregory (Charles Wiggins)
80. Herrmann, Timothy (Charles Wiggins)
81. Herrmann, Victoria (Charles Wiggins)
82. Herrmann, Jr., Walter (Charles Wiggins)
83. Houle, Matt (Donald Wise)
84. Hubbard, Kelly Brann (Richard Brann)
85. Hudson, Ronna (John (Jack) Hudson)
86. Hudson, Ronna's brother (John (Jack) Hudson)
87. Hussey, Nancy (Former Crew)
88. Hussey, Ted (Former Crew)
89. Johnson, Keith (Former Crew)
90. Johnson, Rosemary (Former Crew)
91. Jones, Doris (Richard Jones)
92. Kaluza, Carol Ann (Edmund J. Kaluza)
93. Kaluza, Helen (Edmund J. Kaluza)
94. Kaluza, James T (Edmund J. Kaluza)
95. Kaluza, Kristen Marie (Edmund J. Kaluza)
96. Krawczynski , Diane (Joe Walski)
97. Krawczynski, Jeffrey (Joe Walski)
98. Lauck, Joyce (Former Crew)
99. Lawrence, Lynne DesJardins (Richard DesJardins)
100. Lyman, Joan (John Lyman)
101. Martinson, Helen Jean (Merrill Collier)
102. McClelland Cain, Margaret (Doug McClelland)
103. McClelland Cain, Robert (Doug McClelland)
104. McCord Jr., Donald (Donald McCord)
105. McCord, Jared (Donald J. McCord)
106. McCord, Jennifer (Donald J. McCord)
107. McCord, Michael (Donald McCord)
108. McCord, Rhiannon (Donald J. McCord)
109. McCord, Scott A. (Donald J. McCord)
110. McCord, Tina (Donald J. McCord)
111. McNally, Linda (Tilmon Arsenault)
112. McNally, Thelma (Tilmon Arsenault)
113. Miller, Peggy (Former Crew)
114. Miller, Robert (Former Crew)
115. Muxie, John (Tilmon Arsenault)
116. Muxie, Kathleen (Tilmon Arsenault)
117. Noonis, Derek (Jack Noonis)
118. Noonis, Jennifer (Jack Noonis)
119. Noonis, Lisa (Jack Noonis)
120. Noonis, Michael (Jack Noonis)
121. Noonis, Tim (Jack Noonis)
122. Olsen, Doris (Former Crew)
123. Olsen, Naomi (Former Crew)
124. Olsen, Richard (Former Crew)
125. Olsen, Rita (Former Crew)
126. Olsen, Rory (Former Crew)
127. Olsen, William (Former Crew)
128. O'Shea, Claire (Paul Currier)
129. Palmeira, Joseph (Tilmon Arsenault)
130. Palmer, Rodney (Franklin Palmer)
131. Palmer, Roxanne (Franklin Palmer)
132. Parker, Linda (Roscoe Pennington)
133. Pennel, Donna (Tilmon Arsenault)
134. Pennel, Duane (Tilmon Arsenault)
135. Pennington, Greg (Roscoe Pennington)
136. Pennington, James (Roscoe Pennington)
137. Poirrier, Donald (Tilmon Arsenault)
138. Poirrier, Roland (Tilmon Arsenault)
139. Rankin, James (Former Crew)
140. Rasile, Tony (John Smarz)
141. Rawlins, Robert (Former Crew)
142. Rehme, Art (Former Crew)
143. Rehme, Ruth (Former Crew)
144. Rhodes, Martha Bobbitt (Edgar Bobbitt)
145. Richie, Claudia (Ed Christainsen)
146. Riemenschneider, Barbara (Former Crew)
147. Riemenschneider, John (Former Crew)
148. Robinson, Hilda (Arsenault) (Tilmon Arsenault)
149. Robinson, Theodore T. (Tilmon Arsenault)
150. Rocheleau, Jen (Tilmon Arsenault)
151. Ryan, Mary (Tilmon Arsenault)
152. Schmitz, Matthew (Billy Klier)
153. Schmitz, Louise (Billy Klier)
154. Scibelli, Alice (Joe Walski)
155. Smarz, James (John Smarz)
156. Sorbie, Andy (Former Crew)
157. Sorbie, Barbara (Former Crew)
158. Stanley, Cathy (Richard Brann)
159. Stanley, Thomas (Richard Brann)
160. Stiles, Wendy (Fomer Crew)
161. Theriault, Mary (Tilmon Arsenault)
162. Ueda, Herb (Merrill Collier)
163. Ueda, Nancy (Merrill Collier)
164. Ueda, Ty (Merrill Collier)
165. Venezia, Grace (Tilmon Arsenault)
166. Wagner, Fern (Former Crew)
167. Wagner, Sarah (Former Crew)
168. Walski, Alan (Joe Walski)
169. Ward, Ellie (Former Crew)
170. Warren, Amy (Tilmon Arsenault)
171. Warren, Debra (Tilmon Arsenault)
172. Warren, Joey (Tilmon Arsenault)
173. Wickett, Curt (John Smarz)
174. Wickett, Shana (John Smarz)
175. Wickett, Wendy Smarz (John Smarz)
176. Winnie, Nancy ( Joe Walski)
177. Winnie, William (Joe Walski)
178. Wise, Cindy (Donald Wise)
179. Wise, Donald Jr. (Donald Wise)
180. Wise, Donald III (Donald Wise)
181. Wise, Keri (Donald Wise)
182. Wise, Phil (Donald Wise)
183. Wise, Sandy (Donal Wise)
184. Wisneski, Andrea (Tilmon Arsenault)
185. Workman, Jo Ann Brann (Richard Brann)
186. Zarnowski, Frances (Paul Currier)

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The committee for the planning and execution of the USS Thresher 40th Memorial Service consisted of the following members (Click on the Committee member name for their biography and portrait if available):

• Kevin Galeaz: Committee Chair & Thresher Base Point Of Contact, webmaster@thresherbase.org, Phone: 603-785-6464
• Master Chief Gary Hildreth: PNSY Master Chief of the Command and Thresher Base Commander.
• Bob Bellisle: USS Thresher Family Member Representative and former Thresher Base Commander.
• Herm Stolzennburg: Thresher Base Senior Vice Commander
• Robin Galeaz: Newsletter Designer, Editor and Publisher

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