Portsmouth Backs USS Thresher Memorial

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The USS Thresher Memorial project received more support from the Portsmouth City Council Tuesday night in the form of a $1,000 donation.

Assistant Mayor Robert Lister said the city's Veterans Committee voted to back the creation of the memorial on April 10, 2013, the 50th anniversary of the loss of the USS Thresher, with the donation and the full City Council unanimously approved it.

On April 10, 2013, the Town of Kittery, Maine will honor the sacrifice and the memory of the 129 Navy personnel and civilians who perished on the USS Thresher 50 years ago.

When finished, memorial organizers say there will be a 129-foot flagpole at Kittery Memorial Circle, showcased by top-mounted lights 24 hours a day. They say it will also rise from a rounded black granite base surrounded by landscaping ornamentation for a stately tribute, powerful in its simplicity. 

The USS Thresher was constructed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine before it embarked on maiden voyage on April 10, 1963. Somewhere off of Cape Cod, Mass., the vessel took on water and sank, making it one of the worst submarine tragedies in U.S. Naval history. Every Memorial Day, a special ceremony is held at the Albacore Park in Portsmouth to honor all of the submariners who lost their lives, including the men who perished on the USS Thresher.

On Tuesday night, Portsmouth city officials acknowledged the importance of partnering with Kittery to create a tribute to the people who lost their lives at sea.

“This was a tragedy that so affected this community and still does that councilors felt this was something the city should be apart of,” said City Manager John Bohenko said.

Councilor Ken Smith said the Thresher Committee is still accepting donations and individuals and businesses are welcome to support the project. “Let’s work hard to make sure the committee’s gets to its goal,” he added.

Meetings:

Kittery School Committee, Kittery Town Hall, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m.

Kittery Growth Management Committee, Kittery Town Hall, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 6 p.m.

Kittery Town Hall closed, Friday, Nov. 16. and Thursday, Nov. 22 and Friday, Nov. 23, for Thanksgiving Day.

Events:

Barbour Coat Drive: Saturday, Nov. 17. Barbour is partnering with One Warm Coat to host its third annual coat drive to benefit the FairTide Thrift Shop and members of the local community at the Maine Gate Outlets. Help out the local community by donating a gently worn, wearable jacket to those in need this winter and receive $25.00 off a new Barbour jacket. Coats can be dropped off during regular hours at the Barbour outlet store. Monday - Sunday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Want to see the Celtics?: The Kittery Recreation Department still has some tickets left to see the Boston Celtics play the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 3, 2013 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston. The $72 ticket price includes a promenade seat and round-trip coach bus transportation from the new Community Center at Frisbee Common. The deadline to buy tickets is Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Community Center.

KTP Holiday events: Beginning on Friday, Nov. 16, the Kittery Trading Post will kick off a series of fun family holiday season events beginning with the Food Roundup on Friday where the first 750 people to enter the North Entrance with 3 or more cans of food will receive a free KTP gift card with a value of $10 to $500!

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