The following shipmates were inducted on 4 February 1999:
J.D. Norris, ET1, USS Thresher (SSN-593), 4/63
Thomas D. Kantz, ET2, USS Thresher (SSN-593) 4/63
William Thompson, LT, USS Cutlass (SS-478) Summer/58
Romeo A. Laramee, MoMM2, USS Tautog (SS-199) 3/44
Stephen D. Jacobs, ET3, USS Sturgeon (SSN-637) 8/72
Thompson, PhM1, USS Growler (SS-215) 8/44
The following losses are still in research:
Research into many of the more recent incidents is made more difficult by the security classification rules adopted by portions of Naval Sea Systems Command in recent years. At present, all submarine operational records [with a few minor exceptions] since 1952 are classified at least to the Confidential level. Thus access is severly restricted for accurate, primary source historical research. Early records contained in the National Archives [OS files on individual ships] may hold the key to pre-1941 losses. Those records have not been explored as yet.
The names and dates of passing of those men who were crewmembers captured during WWII and died as Prisoners-Of-War are being researched and those men will be added to the Wall.
The following individual losses are under investigation for more complete information and/or documentation:
Dale Ellenwood, reported lost overside from USS Triton (SSRN-586) sometime in 1962-63
Dennis O’Brien, died aboard USS Los Angeles (SSN-688)
TM3(SS) Miller whose loss was noted in a personal diary, USS Gudgeon (SS-211)
Incident aboard USS Seahorse (SSN-699) on 5-14-72
Incident aboard USS Guardfish (SSN-612) on 7-25-72
Incident aboard USS Sturgeon (SSN-673) on 8-25-72
Incident aboard USS Alexander Hamilton (SSBN-617) on 5-30-74
Incident on USS Thornback (SS-418) in January to March 1959, an RM3 electrocuted
Incident aboard USS Georgia (SSBN-729) on 3-22-86
Information on any of these events under research is requested and will be gratefully received. The type information requested is: 1) -- Objective first person accounts; 2) -- Reports, War Patrol reports or other primary source material, including safety bulletins; and/or, 3) -- Secondary source material or leads to such material such as newspaper accounts, magazine articles, etc.
Pending Confirmation:
These are reported incidents for which documentation is needed and in many cases name/rate and details of incident. (O = Officer, E = Enlisted)
Incident Date / Ship Number / Shipmate / Cause of loss:
25 July 16 / USS A-7 / 1O + 7E / Battery Explosion
5 October 18 / USS O-9 / 2O / Hydraulic Explosion
27 March 19, Thiemann, EMC(SS) ... died during a diving accident retreiving a torpedo from USS O-12 (SS-73) during training exercises near St. Thomas, V.I.
31 Aug 21 / USS O-9 / 1E / Overboard in Cape Cod Bay
26 Sept 22 / USS L-9 / 1E / Overboard enroute Coco Solo to Norfolk
21 Dec 22 / USS / O-15 1E / Overboard
22 May 23 / USS R-23 / 1E / Overboard off Almirante, P.I.
2 June 23 / USS T-2 / 1E / Slipped from dock, hit boat, drowned
10 Oct 23 / USS S-37 / 3E / After Battery explosion
28 Oct 23 / USS O-5 / 3E / Collision
25 Aug 24 / USS S-2 / 1E / Engine scavenger explosion
9 Oct 24 / USS R-15 / 1E / Overboard
21 Dec 24 / USS S-40 / 1E / Drowned when boat’s wherry sank in Manila
14 Jan 24 / USS S-11 / 1E / Overboard
16 Jan 25 / USS S-15 / 1E / Overboard
5 Feb 25 / USS S-14 / 1E / Overboard
21 Feb 26 / USS S-10 / 1E / Overboard
19 Aug 26 / USS S-24 / 1E / Overboard
20 April 26 / USS S-49 / 4E / Battery Explosion
14 July 27 / USS S-31 / 1E / Overboard
10 Feb 45 / USS Parche (SS-384) / 2E / Overboard
WWII / USS Guitarro (SS-363) / 1E / Lost due to pneumonia
Jan - Mar 59 / USS Thornback (SS-418) / 1E / Electrocuted
62-63 / USS Triton (SSRN-586) / Dale Ellenwood / Lost overboard
14 April 1972 / USS Seahorse / 1E? / Unknown
25 July 72 / USS Guardfish / 1E? / Unknown
25 Aug 72 / USS Sturgeon / 1E? / Unknown
30 May 74 / USS Alexander Hamilton / 1E? / Unknown
12 Nov 75 / USS John C. Calhoun / 1E? / Unknown
18 Dec 78 / USS John Adams / Charles Staninger (name provided by Charles Emery, STS1(SS) blue crew at the time) Lost overboard during medical evacuation
11 July 80 / USS Sturgeon / 1E / Unknown
25 April 82 / USS Boston / IE / Shawn Michael Wise / BOSTON on patrol in Indian Ocean when WISE had an attack of Familia Periodic Paralyzes, a genetic disease that casuses potassium to become unbalanced. The attacks usually occur upon awakening and can be severe causing paralysis of the arms and legs, breathing and the heart. The onset of the disease occurs in the late teens and grows worse into the twenties. WISE awoke to stand his watch and could not get out of his rack. The paralysis worsened in the next 24 hours. USS AMERICA (CA) helo'd a doctor to USS MACINERNY which rendezvoused with BOSTON and WISE was transferred to MACINERNY. He was experiencing breathing difficulties at this time and went into cardiac arrest shortly after transfer (information supplied by WISE's father).
24 Dec 83 / USS Baton Rouge
"I was aboard sub the night a shipmate died on Christmas Eve. I remember a windy cold
night at D&S piers in Norfolk Navy Base. Shipmate went topside to fix Ship's Christmas
Lights that were falling overboard. Ice accumulating on lights and topside. Somebody sent
him up there to fix, slipped on the ice and went over between tender and sub. Person went
into shock and was unable to grab rescue equipment. Shipmate disappeared within moments to
be found months later across the bay. Last name was Smith a non-nuc IC-men . That's all
the particulars I can remember. (information provided by Alan Modzelewski)
22 March 86 / USS Georgia / 1E / Unknown
14 June 89 / USS Houston / 1E? / Unknown
Consideration is being given as to how to properly list some personnel losses which fall into grey areas of the given criteria. An example of this type of loss is Admiral English (ComSubPac) and his staff members who died in an aircraft crash in California early in WWII. As yet no decision has been made on these men.
Consideration is also being given to how to properly handle several individual losses such as suicides. No decision has been reached to date. This should not be construed to mean these men have been forgotten.
Any information, documentation to fill in the unknowns would be gratefully received.
My thanks to those who have been of great assistance in providing information and leads. The work goes on.
Keep the faith,
Jim Christley
EMCS(SS) USN(ret)
jchris@snet.net