Thresher Base

United States Submarine Veterans

 

 

 

 

Thresher Base was chartered on

November 15, 1989 to perpetuate

the memories and honor the legacy

of the 129 men lost aboard

USS Thresher on April 10, 1963

Future Events

Thresher Base holds six regular meetings per year on the third Saturday of the months of January, March, May, July. September & November. Additionally, Thresher Base hosts a Memorial Day service at Albacore Park as well as the Annual USS Thresher Memorial Service, held on the Saturday closest to April 10.

Sunday, October 18, 2026 @ 1000

Hands On Rig for Dive aboard USS Albacore

USS Albacore

569 Submarine Way, Portsmouth, NH 03801

Join with your Thresher Base shipmates to help run the Rig for Dive aboard USS Albacore for the Massachusetts Bay Sea Cadets. This unit is commanded by retired Submarine Master Chief Ron Ross. Muster at 0945 on Sunday morning, October 18, 2026.


Joe Afienko, the Albacore's Museum Operations Director and former Submarine Cook, will run the event in the galley area. Help is needed to help the cadets learn about the machinery, and hull penetrations in the bow compartment, control room, and the engine room. A second SubVet will be assigned in Control to describe how a submarine navigates underwater.


To begin, the Sea Cadets will tour the museum focusing on the Submarine displays that includes the history of Submarines, and a battery cell. This will allow an overview of Submarines including the current boats, their purposes and armaments. Then they will proceed to the boat.


For Part 2, Scavenger Hunt, the Sea Cadets will be furnished with a qual card that contains questions about each compartment. They are expected to locate the major equipment in each compartment and understand it's purpose. This is where your help is needed. They are asked to located the hull penetrations and valves that would, if not properly rigged for dive, allow water into the pressure hull. This includes, but is not limited to, the main induction, escape trunks and their drain valves, signal ejectors and their drain valves, shaft(s), main access hatch in the sail, and the main sea water valves. Point out the main ballast tank valves and piping in each compartment. Point out the water tight doors, their ventilation shut off vavles and describe how low pressure air is used to limit flooding.


In Control, point out the XMAS tree, the planes, the main ballast tank valves, and the scope and the gauges and heading indicators locagted in front of the planes. Describe how a submarine navigates underwater.


For part 3, Rig for Dive, the cadets will be divided into four groups, bow compartment, control room, crews mess, and engine room. They will be furnished with a significantly reduced compartment rig for dive bill. Pick two cadets, one to do the initial check, and a second to do the verification. Once completed, report to control that the compartment is rigged for dive.


For part 4, Simulated Dive: In the control room, one cadet will be chosen to be the OOD, a second as the COW, and two other cadets in control will be placed on the planes. Once all compartments have reported rigged for dive, the OOD will conduct the dive procedure.


After the simulated dive is completed, all Cadets and SubVets will assemble along outside of the boat near the bow for a group photo. This photo will be published on Facebook, LinkedIn and newsletters for both the Naval Submarine League and NH Council of the Navy League and will receive national exposure.


Directions to the USS Albacore Museum at 569 Albacore Way can be found via the following link: Directions to USS Albacore Museum, 569 Albacore Way, Portsmouth, NH

Saturday, November 21, 2026 @ 1200

November Thresher Base Meeting

Newick's Lobster House

431 Dover Point Rd, Dover, NH 03820

Join with your Thresher Base Shipmates at the November Thresher Base USSVI meeting on Saturday, November 21, 2026 @ 1200 at Newick's Lobster House, 431 Dover Point Rd., Dover, NH


Directions to Newick's Lobster House can be found via the following link: Directions to Newick's Lobster House

Saturday, January 16, 2027 @ 1200

January Thresher Base Meeting

Newick's Lobster House

431 Dover Point Rd, Dover, NH 03820

Join with your Thresher Base Shipmates at the January Thresher Base USSVI meeting on Saturday, January 16 @ 1200 at Newick's Lobster House, 431 Dover Point Rd., Dover, NH


Directions to Newick's Lobster House can be found via the following link: Directions to Newick's Lobster House

Saturday, March 20, 2027 @ 1200

March Northern NE USSVI Bases Meeting

Newick's Lobster House

431 Dover Point Rd, Dover, NH 03820

Join with your Thresher Base Shipmates at the March combined Thresher Base, USS Maine Base, and Marblehead Base USSVI meeting and Holland Club Induction on Saturday, January 16 @ 1200 at Newick's Lobster House, 431 Dover Point Rd., Dover, NH


Directions to Newick's Lobster House can be found via the following link: Directions to Newick's Lobster House

Saturday, April 10, 2027 @ 1200

64th Annual USS Thresher Memorial Service at Arlington National Cemetery

USS Thresher National Commemorative Monument, Arlington National Cemetery

Join with USS Thresher Family Members & Former Crew, USSVI Members and DC area NAVSEA and SUBFOR leadership at the 64th Annual USS Thresher Memorial Service, honoring the loss of 129 men aboard USS Thresher and their SUBSAFE legacyt alongside the USS Thresher National Commemorative Monument in Arlington National Cemetery.


The Arlington National Cemetery Parking Garage is directly across from the Welcome Center at 1 Memorial Drive, Arlington, VA:Directions to Arlington National Cemetery Parking Garage


Walk to the right side of the welcome center and enter the security checkpoint. Then turn right and proceed out the back of the welcome center on the path past the trams that will be on your left onto Rosevelt Drive and continue 0.3 miles up the the USS Thresher National Commemorative Monument. Here's a link that shows the location of the USS Thresher National Commemorative MonumentDirections to USS Thresher National Commemorative Monument


For those unable to walk the 0.3 miles with an uphill gradient, hanicapped parking passes can be arranged by emailing Kevin Galeaz at threshermemorial@gmail.com no later than March 10th, 2027.


Note that Kevin Galeaz is working on obtaining ANC permission to live broadcast this ceremony for those unable to travel to the service at the National Commemorative Monument

Saturday, April 10, 2027 @ 1300

64th Annual USS Thresher Memorial Service in Kittery, ME.

Robert W. Traip Academy, 12 Williams Ave., Kittery, ME

Join with USS Thresher Family Members & Former Crew, NE USSVI Members, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Leadership at the 64th annual USS Thresher Memorial Service honoring the loss of 129 men aboard USS Thresher and their SUBSAFE legacy.


Directions to the Robert W. Traip Academy can be found by clicking on the following link:Directions to Robert W. Traip Academy, 12 Williams Avenue, Kittery, ME


For those unable to walk, parking passes can be arranged by emailing Kevin Galeaz at threshermemorial@gmail.com

Saturday, May TBD, 2027 @ 1200

May Thresher Base SubVets Meeting

Newick's Lobster House

431 Dover Point Rd, Dover, NH 03820

Join with your Thresher Base Shipmates at the Thresher Base USSVI meeting on Saturday, May TBD @ 1200 at Newick's Lobster House, 431 Dover Point Rd., Dover, NH


Directions to Newick's Lobster House can be found via the following link:Directions to Newick's Lobster House

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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