Investigations

U.S.S. Thresher

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The Case:

A contributor in Chicopee, Massachusetts has a stack of technical drawings and engineering documents he found in his late great-uncle’s basement some years ago. 

A few of the documents bear the numbers and letters SSN-593. 

This appellation belonged to the nuclear submarine USS Thresher, an attack class vessel that had been the pride of the U.S. Navy during the Cold War.

On April 10th, 1963, the Thresher was undergoing deep sea trials when, along with its nuclear reactor, the vessel sank with the loss of all hands 220 miles off the coast of Massachusetts.

How could our contributor's great-uncle have been in possession of documents linked to one of the most secret weapons in the U.S. Cold War arsenal?

History Detectives explores one of the most traumatic events in U.S. Naval history.


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Aired:
Season 5, Episode 10

Detective:
Gwen Wright Location:
New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts

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