SUBMARINE INQUIRY
Escort Skipper Criticised
(N.ZJ’.A .-Reuter— Copyright) PORTSMOUTH (New Hampshire), April 16. A United States Navy Court today cited the skipper of a submarine escort vessel for apparent failure to advise higher authorities of the final messages from the submarine Thresher, lost with 129 men last week, the Associated Press reported. The court named Lieuten-ant-Commander Stanley Hecker, aged 36, skipper of the U.S.S. Skylark, which was accompanying Thresher when she made her fatal test dive last Wednesday. The president of the court of inquiry (Vice-Admiral
Bernard L. Austin) recalled Commander Hecker to the stand and advised him: “The Court has concluded that your conduct as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Skylark, as revealed by evidence presented to the Court, appears to be subject to inquiry. “The evidence in question reflects that you tailed to inform higher authority of all the information available to you pertinent to the circumstances attending the last transmissions received by Skylark from the Thresher on April 10, 1963, as it was your duty to do, for an unreas nabte length of time.” Admiral Austin said.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CII, Issue 30109, 18 April 1963, Page 11
Word Count
180SUBMARINE INQUIRY Press, Volume CII, Issue 30109, 18 April 1963, Page 11
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