USS Groton Submarine Monument Location Secured, Lawmakers Say

GROTON, CT —The USS Groton may have found a home for a monument in its honor. The site is in its homeport and namesake hometown. Commissioned in 1978, it was the seventh of 62 Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarines.

Connecticut lawmakers have blessed a deal that would have the Town of Groton take ownership of a 1.5 acre of state-owned property on Route 117 to be used for the monument.

“Groton is all about the submarine industry and a monument to the USS Groton is quite fitting,” bill co-sponsor State Representative Christine Conley (D-Groton/Ledyard) said.

“Lots of work went into obtaining this parcel, where if all goes well, will be transformed into a unique tribute to the men and women from Electric Boat who built the submarine and those who served on the ship.”

Built at Electric Boat and launched in 1976, the USS Groton’s commission spanned from 1978 to 1997. The monument will include the sub’s “sail,” the tower-like structure on the top-center of the boat, and its rudder.

“We’ve been trying to find the right spot for the submarine monument and this location will be ideal,” bill co-sponsor Joe de la Cruz (D-Groton/New London) said.

“It’s close to the Thames River and will be a wonderful addition to the southeast region. I want to thank everyone who worked so diligently to get this done.”

The USS Groton monument will serve as a tribute to the submariners who served on her, the Navy, and Electric Boat. EB has agreed to utilize their apprenticeship program for work on the project, a statement from lawmakers reads.

The non-profit Groton Sail Foundation has been working to see the monument realized and has a fundraising campaign under way. According to the Foundation, the “centerpiece” sail and rudder “will serve as a permanent tribute to the Navy’s submarine community, past, present and future.”
“The monument will provide a place for celebration, an educational backdrop to the evolution of the submarine industry and submarine service, a place for generations to reflect on the service of their family and friends, and a welcoming beacon to our submariners as they sail up the Thames on their way home,” the Foundation writes on its website.

According to the US Navy, the sub's first overseas deployment was in March of 1980 to the Indian Ocean and returned to port on the Thames River via the Panama Canal. The sub was decommissioned in November of 1997.