Shipbuilders,

Yesterday marked a day no shipbuilder should ever forget – the 59th anniversary of the tragic sinking of USS Thresher (SSN 593). On April 10, 1963, the submarine was executing a deep dive test off the coast of New England during sea trials when it lost communications with the surface and never reemerged, ending the lives of all 129 officers, crew and civilians on board.

Although Thresher was not built by Newport News Shipbuilding, we reflect on this tragedy each year because it demonstrates the importance of first-time quality and learning from mistakes.

Please take a moment to watch this video featuring NNS shipbuilders Milton Archila (X42), Carly Cole (E03) and Carvus Hopkins (K46/X33) reflecting on Thresher and how its tragedy influences their work. You can watch the video on our NNS to Go app, MyNNS, HII’s YouTube Channel or my Facebook page.

From one shipbuilder to another, I ask that you never forget Thresher and always remember the significance of our mission.

Respectfully,
Jennifer Boykin
President
Newport News Shipbuilding