In celebration of EB’s 120th birthday, over the last week, we’ve been sharing historical tidbits about the company through a variety of channels including Jeff Geiger’s EB Bulletin, the WIBs, Homeport, EB Landing and EB’s social media channels:
Test your knowledge by answering the questions below. The answers are provided in a link at the end of the quiz.
1.In 1775, CT’s David Bushnell built the very first torpedo boat and the first underwater craft to employ a screw propeller. What’s the name of this boat?
2.John Holland, the inventor of the first U.S. Navy submarine, was born where and when?
a.Groton, CT, United States, July 4, 1846
b.Liverpool, England, February 7, 1849
c.County Clare, Ireland, February 24, 1842
3.Who was Electric Boat’s first President?
4.What year did the first U.S. Navy Submarine, USS Holland (S-1) join the fleet?
5.Who was the first U.S. President to dive below the surface in an EB submarine?
a.William McKinley
b.Theodore Roosevelt
c.William Howard Taft
6.In what year did EB acquire the New London Ship and Engine Co. in Groton, CT?
a.1899
b.1906
c.1911
d.1916
7.In 1917, which became the first U.S. submarine to cross the Atlantic Ocean under its own power?
8.The first submarine built by Electric Boat at the Groton shipyard was the R-1, launched in 1926. Which country was it built for?
a.Great Britain
b.The U.S.
c.Russia
d.Peru
9.In 1933 the first submarine built for the U.S. Navy at Electric Boat’s Groton shipyard was launched. What was its name?
10.In what year did EB begin hiring women to perform construction work and welding tasks that had previously been performed exclusively by men?
a.1941
b.1942
c.1943
d.1944
11.How many submarines and patrol torpedo (PT) boats did EB produce over the course of WWII?
12.Which U.S. President famously commanded a PT boat that was cut in half by a Japanese destroyer in the South Pacific in 1943?
13.Between and after the world wars, EB kept the production lines busy by diversifying. Name one non-submarine product the company produced during these times.
14.What year did Capt. Hyman Rickover set the challenge for a nuclear-powered submarine?
15.In what year did the USS Nautilus declare “underway on nuclear power”?
16.How many U.S. First Ladies (future, current and former) have sponsored U.S. Navy nuclear submarines?
17.Electric Boat has pioneered the design and production of a number of small research submarines. Name one.
18.In what year did the Navy’s first fleet ballistic-missile submarine, USS George Washington (SSBN 598), go on its first strategic deterrent patrol?
a.1959
b.1960
c.1962
19.In what year was Quonset Point’s frame and cylinder manufacturing facility completed?
a.1976
b.1979
c.1980
20.What year was USS Virginia (SSN 774), the lead ship of the Virginia class, christened?
a.2002
b.2003
c.2004
21.In what year will the first Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine go on patrol?
a.2028
b.2031
c.2033
There will be a separate story uploaded with the quiz answers.
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EBECSA Celebrates 75 Years — Nominate EB Employees Past and Present for Recognition
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Atlas Plaque Unveiled, Honoring Plank Owners at South Yard Ceremony
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Neighbors Meet with EB to Discuss Noise, Lighting and Other Quality of Life Topics
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Rayha Report Ep. 26: Waterford Campus Groundbreaking
EB President Mark Rayha reports from the groundbreaking of the new Waterford Campus, where innovation, engineering and workforce development will come together to support our mission. The new facility will help train hundreds of shipbuilders daily as EB continues to grow for future production demands.
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Powering HeartStrong 50: Thank You, EB Teams—Let’s Keep the Momentum Going!
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Speed Cameras to be Installed in the City of Groton
The City of Groton Police Department announced that automated speed enforcement cameras will be installed at several locations throughout the city. The cameras will be installed after the required 30-day public notification period, which began on Aug. 7, 2026. Camera locations: Mitchell Street Thames Street Clarence B. Sharp Highway (Route 349) Police said the purpose...Continue reading→
