Hi everyone; it’s Kevin. Today is Tuesday, April 13th (day recorded). I wanted to take a few minutes to share some thoughts on two important annual commemorations in the submarine community. This past Sunday, April 11th was National Submarine Day, which celebrates our nation’s purchase of the USS Holland, the first modern commissioned submarine and an important breakthrough for the U.S. Navy. The Holland is considered the world’s first practical submarine and is named for its inventor John Holland.
On National Submarine Day we honor the role the submarine has played in modern defense and the challenges our submarine crews have endured throughout the history of submarines. Over the course of the last 121 years, the men and women of Electric Boat have dedicated ourselves to making submarines safer and more capable, so that we provide our sailors with the greatest and most unfair advantage over our competition. All of this while keeping their safety top of mind. Please take a moment and view the short video on EB’s web page highlighting Electric Boat submarines and the people who build them.
April 10th, this past Saturday, is the day each year we pause to remember the loss of the USS Thresher and the 129 crew and civilian riders on board. On April 10th, 1963, USS Thresher had just completed a nine-month overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in which she received new electronic and sonar equipment and other upgrades and repairs. On that fateful morning, after Thresher had traveled approximately 220 miles off Cape Cod, she began a controlled dive in 100-foot increments. Thresher sent routine messages to the rescue ship, USS Skylark, and at 9:17a.m., Skylark received a garbled message: “…minor difficulties, have positive up-angle, attempting to blow.” Thresher went silent. Skylark attempted to regain contact but there was no response. At approximately 9:18a.m., Thresher was lost.
A court of inquiry gathered the facts and circumstances connected with the loss of the USS Thresher and death of personnel aboard to assign responsibility for the incident. The outcome was that responsibility could not be placed on any one individual or organization, but there were collective failures that most likely led to the loss of the Thresher. Examples included inadequate quality assurance, overconfidence in silver-brazed joints, lack of approved documentation on the ship, inadequate training and schedule pressure. What we do today, and every day since that fateful day, is intended to prevent another such tragedy. As we know, these themes are relatable to problem statements that we see on unplanned events experienced here at EB today, and we must be vigilant in their prevention. Never forget our priorities at Electric Boat: safety, quality, schedule, cost, and continuous improvement, in that order. Safety always first.
As a former submariner and as a leader of a company who builds and maintains submarines, I reflect on the important role our work plays in our national defense every single day. It fills me with enormous pride and a sense of enormous responsibility—emotions I know you all share with me. No matter what your job or role, every one of us has a responsibility to keep our sailors top of mind—that is our higher purpose. Let’s remember the sacrifice and legacy built by all who came before us, and let’s ensure we build on that legacy for all who will follow us.
Thanks everyone; we’ll talk again soon.
Pathways to the Deep Officially Opens at Mystic Aquarium
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Electric Boat featured in ADC’s ‘Homefront’ Video Series
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Rayha Report Ep. 19: Operations Leadership Hiring Initiative
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Lauren Knapp Honored with Victoria Soto Memorial Award
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Congratulations to Cheyne Ordonio, Winner of the 2026 High Five Coin Design Contest
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Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for New Warehouse in North Stonington
Electric Boat broke ground Wednesday on a new warehouse that will support shipbuilding operations in Groton and Quonset Point. The 480,000‑square‑foot facility, located at 45 Frontage Road in North Stonington, will streamline how material moves across different work sites. Electric Boat purchased the 55‑acre property from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in 2025. The project...Continue reading→
Lessons From the Loss of USS Thresher (SSN 593) on April 10, 1963
Photo by EB Employee Patrick “Pat” M. McCarthy, Principal Program Representative, Quality (D421). Electric Boat Shipbuilders, On the morning of April 10,1963, USS Thresher began her deep dive in 8,400 feet of water 220 miles off Cape Cod. During the dive, an unexpected message was received by USS Skylark, her escort ship: “Experiencing minor difficulties,...Continue reading→
Rayha Report Ep. 18: CT and RI Legislative Briefings
EB President Mark Rayha delivered Legislative Briefings to congressional delegations and local leaders in Connecticut and Rhode Island on Monday, March 23. See the latest installment of the Rayha Report for a recap of the events.
Rayha Report Ep. 17: Impact of EB’s Donation to the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center
L-R: M. Rayha, A. Stockton, D. Sears-Graves In the latest installment of the Rayha Report, EB President Mark Rayha speaks with Anne Stockton, VP of the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center, and Dina Sears-Graves, President and CEO of the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, about the positive impact EB’s recent donation has had on...Continue reading→
