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Still Tilting at Windmills; A Recent AP Article Loaded With Misinformation on THRESHER (See Link)

Michael Melia (Associated Press Reporter):

Regrettably, your recent article about a burial-at-sea at the site of the loss of the USS THRESHER, contains serious errors.
(http://www.windstream.net/news/read/category/News/article/the_associated_press-navy_to_scatter_vets_ashes_near_site_of_1963_sub_s-ap#.WD8uwkP-S5A.email)

With respect to those involved in SUBSAFE training listening to a recording of the THRESHER collapse event, please note the following:

During Congressional hearings on the loss of THRESHER held on Thursday, 27 June 1963, RADM John Maurer, Director, Submarine Warfare Division, in response to a question from Representative David Bates, NH, stated: (quote) All of the ASRs are equipped with recorders now. This is since the (THRESHER) incident. At that time, they did not have recorders. (end quote) Page 51 Congressional Record for 27 June 1963.

Because the USS SKYLARK (ASR-20) did not have the capability to record the underwater communications with THRESHER, the content of those communications was established by the Court of Inquiry (COI) through extensive, direct examination of those aboard SKYLARK who were present when the communications occurred. The transcript of that direct examination is provided by http://www.jag.navy.mil/library/investigations/USS%20THRESHER%20PT%203.pdf

Also note there was no leak (flooding) that caused a reactor scram (shut down). The THRESHER pressure-hull was intact until collapse occurred at 09:18:24R (local time) on 10 April 1963 at a depth of 2400-feet. This assessment exculpates those Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) personnel whom the Navy has - for more than 50 years - falsely asserted to have been responsible for flooding through the failure of a joint in a silver-braze pipe in a sea-connected system. The THRESHER pressure-hull and all sea-connected systems survived to a depth 450-feet greater than the calculated collapse depth. Indeed, those PNSY personnel "built better than they knew."

A question you - and any others who remain interested in THRESHER - should ask yourselves is why THRESHER reported to her escort ship, the USS SKYLARK, at 0913R that she was experiencing "minor difficulties" when flooding at her depth at 0913R would have been a catastrophic event. THRESHER never mentioned flooding in any transmission to SKYLARK.

If you wish to pursue this sensitive subject, respond by email.

Bruce Rule

Bona Fides:

The writer analyzed the Sound Surveillance System acoustic detections (paper displays - no recordings) of the loss of THRESHER; testified before the Court of Inquiry on 18 April 1963; was the lead acoustic analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence for 42 years, and subsequently confIrmed why the USS SCORPION (SSN-589) was lost and determined - for the first time - why the Soviet missile submarine (SSB) K-129 was lost, respectively, the explosion of hydrogen out-gassed by the main storage battery, and the firing to fuel-exhaustion of two R-21/D4 ballistic missiles within the pressure-hull.

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