III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 298 

Recognizing Connecticut’s Submarine Century, the 100th anniversary of the 

establishment of Naval Submarine Base New London, and Connecticut’s 

historic role in supporting the undersea capabilities of the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 26, 2015 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL (for himself and Mr. MURPHY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing Connecticut’s Submarine Century, the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Naval Submarine Base 

New London, and Connecticut’s historic role in supporting the undersea capabilities of the United States. 

Whereas, on March 2, 1867, Congress enacted a naval appropriations Act that authorized the Secretary of the Navy 

to ‘‘receive and accept a deed of gift, when offered by the 

State of Connecticut, of a tract of land with not less than 

one mile of shore front on the Thames River near New 

London, Connecticut, to be held by the United States for 

naval purposes’’; 

Whereas the people of Connecticut and the towns and cities 

in the southeastern region of Connecticut subsequently 

donated land and provided funding to establish a military 


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•SRES 298 IS 

installation to fulfil the Nation’s need for a naval facility 

on the Atlantic coast; 

Whereas, on April 11, 1868, the Navy accepted the deed of 

gift of land from Connecticut to establish a naval yard 

and storage depot along the eastern shore of the Thames 

River in Groton, Connecticut; 

Whereas, between 1868 and 1912, the New London Navy 

Yard supported a diverse range of missions, including 

berthing inactive Civil War era ironclad warships and 

serving as a coaling station for refueling naval ships traveling in New England waters; 

Whereas Congress rejected the Navy’s proposal to close New 

London Navy Yard in 1912, following an impassioned effort by Congressman Edwin W. Higgins, who stated that 

this ‘‘action proposed is not only unjust but unreasonable 

and unsound as a military proposition’’; 

Whereas the outbreak of World War I and the enemy use of 

submarines to sink allied military and civilian ships in 

the Atlantic sparked a new focus on developing submarine capabilities in the United States; 

Whereas October 18, 1915, marked the arrival at the New 

London Navy Yard of the submarines G–1, G–2, and G– 

4 under the care of the tender USS OZARK, soon followed by the arrival of submarines E–1, D–1, and D–3 

under the care of the tender USS TONOPAH, and on 

November 1, 1915, the arrival of the first ship built as 

a submarine tender, the USS FULTON (AS–1); 

Whereas, on June 21, 1916, Commander Yeates Stirling assumed the command of the newly designated Naval Submarine Base New London, the New London Submarine 

Flotilla, and the Submarine School; 


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•SRES 298 IS 

Whereas, in the 100 years since the arrival of the first submarines to the base, Naval Submarine Base New London 

has grown to occupy more than 680 acres along the east 

side of the Thames River, with more than 160 major facilities, 15 nuclear submarines, and more than 70 tenant 

commands and activities, including the Submarine Learning Center, Naval Submarine School, the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory, the Naval Undersea Medical Institute, and the newly established Undersea Warfare Development Center; 

Whereas, in addition to being the site of the first submarine 

base in the United States, Connecticut was home to the 

foremost submarine manufacturers of the time, the Lake 

Torpedo Boat Company in Bridgeport and the Electric 

Boat Company in Groton, which later became General 

Dynamics Electric Boat; 

Whereas General Dynamics Electric Boat, its talented workforce, and its Connecticut-based and nationwide network 

of suppliers have delivered more than 200 submarines 

from its current location in Groton, Connecticut, including the first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS NAUTILUS (SSN 571), and nearly half of the nuclear submarines ever built by the United States; 

Whereas the Submarine Force Library and Museum, located 

adjacent to Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, is the only submarine museum operated 

by the United States Navy and today serves as the primary repository for artifacts, documents, and photographs relating to the bold and courageous history of the 

Submarine Force and highlights as its core exhibit the 

historic ship Nautilus following her retirement from service; 


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Whereas, reflecting the close ties between Connecticut and 

the Navy that began with the gift of land that established 

the base, the State of Connecticut has set aside 

$40,000,000 in funding for critical infrastructure investments to support the mission of the base, including construction of a new dive locker building, expansion of the 

Submarine Learning Center, and modernization of energy 

infrastructure; 

Whereas, on September 29, 2015, Connecticut Governor 

Dannel Malloy designated October 2015 through October 

2016 as Connecticut’s Submarine Century, a year-long 

observance that celebrates 100 years of submarine activity in Connecticut, including the Town of Groton’s distinction as the Submarine Capital of the World, to coincide with the centennial anniversary of the establishment 

of Naval Submarine Base New London and the Naval 

Submarine School; 

Whereas Naval Submarine Base New London still proudly 

proclaims its motto of ‘‘The First and Finest’’; and 

Whereas Congressman Higgins’ statement before Congress in 

1912 that ‘‘Connecticut stands ready, as she always has, 

to bear her part of the burdens of the national defense’’ 

remains true today: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commends the longstanding dedication and 

3 contribution to the Navy and submarine force by the 

4 people of Connecticut, both through the initial deed 

5 of gift that established what would become Naval 

6 Submarine Base New London and through their onVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:18 Oct 26, 2015 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR298.IS SR298

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1 going commitment to support the mission of the 

2 base and the Navy personnel assigned to it; 

3 (2) honors the submariners who have trained 

4 and served at Naval Submarine Base New London 

5 throughout its history in support of the Nation’s se6 curity and undersea superiority; 

7 (3) recognizes the contribution of the industry 

8 and workforce of Connecticut in designing, building, 

9 and sustaining the Navy’s submarine fleet; and 

10 (4) encourages the recognition of Connecticut’s 

11 Submarine Century by Congress, the Navy, and the 

12 American people by honoring the contribution of the 

13 people of Connecticut to the defense of the United 

14 States and the important role of the submarine force 

15 in safeguarding the security of the United States for 

16 more than a century. 

Æ 


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