The U.S.S. Scorpion

Paper Summary:

On May 22, 1968, the U.S.S. Scorpion was presumed lost at sea after all contact was lost with her. The mystery behind the disappearance of the Scorpion has never been truly solved. The media jumped on the idea that the Cold War may have caused an internal altercation between the United States and the Soviets, but that theory, along with others, has been ruled out. This paper explores the different events that led up the official declaration that the submarine had disappeared, as well as the theories that continue to this day about what really happened.

From the Paper:

"The physical evidence collected from the photographs supported ADM Schade's claim, including a picture of a large section of missing hull where the 69 ton battery was stored. Despite the evidence, Admiral Austin determined the theory "possible, but not probable." According to the witness reports, a safety system in the SCORPION should have saved her from sinking. This claim would have been true, but her safety systems weren't fully certified, nor were they perfectly operational. The knowledge of this information leads to a further discussion involving the THRESHER. After the United States Navy lost the THRESHER, another submarine, a program was developed called SUBSAFE. The program was implemented to improve safety on submarines and to develop rescue crafts to dive down and rescue distressed submariners. The problem with the SCORPION was that it "had not yet been outfitted with the new SUBSAFE changes, so it is possible that a mechanical failure sent the submarine to the bottom." "

More papers on The U.S.S. Scorpion:

• Research Paper # 96748 : "U-haul's Business Model"
• Essay # 56031 : "U.S.-U.S.S.R. Relations during the Cold War"
• Research Paper # 27954 : "Mongolia and the U.S.S.R."

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: