Mount Pleasant in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
In Memoriam USS Thresher and USS Scorpion
In Memoriam
To those who sacrificed their
lives while serving in and
supporting our submarine
forces during the Cold War.
USS Thresher (SSN 593)
Lost at sea with all hands
April 10, 1963
USS Scorpion (SSN 589)
Lost at sea with all hands
June 2, 1968
There is a port of no return, where ships
May ride at anchor for a little space
And then, some starless night, the cable slips,
Leaving an eddy at the mooring place.....
Gulls, veer no longer. Sailor, rest your oar.
No tangled wreckage will be washed ashore.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, Cold • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lost at Sea, and the Still On Patrol series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is April 10, 1963.
Location. 32° 47.596′ N, 79° 54.267′ W. Marker is in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, in Charleston County. Marker is on Point Pleasant Road, on the right when traveling south. Located at the Cold War Submarine Memorial Park. Touch for map . Marker is in this post office area: Mount Pleasant SC 29464, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. World War II Submarine Lost Boat Memorial (here, next to this marker); USS Pollack (SSN 603) USS Haddo (SSN 604) (within shouting distance of this marker); Cold War Submarine Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); USS Yorktown (CV~10) (about 500 feet away); In Memory of the Men on the USS Laffey DD-724 (approx. 0.2 miles away); South Carolina Gold Star Families Memorial Monument (approx. 0.2 miles away); Talos Missile (approx. 0.2 miles away); Combat Wounded Veterans (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mount Pleasant.
More about this marker. Poem on marker is the second stanza of “Lost Harbor,” by Leslie Nelson Jennings.
Also see . . . USS Scorpion (SSN-589), Wikipedia entry. ... For an unusually long period of time, beginning shortly before midnight on 20 May and ending after midnight 21 May, Scorpion was attempting to send radio traffic to Naval Station Rota in Spain but was only able to reach a Navy communications station in Nea Makri, Greece, which forwarded Scorpion's messages to SUBLANT. Six days later, she was reported overdue at Norfolk. Navy personnel suspected possible failure and launched a search. (Submitted on May 28, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 2, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 28, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 2,181 times since then and 201 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 28, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.