USS Spikefish, 10,000th Dive, 1957/58.
USS Spikefish was the first US submarine to record 10,000 dives. See her Wikipedia entry. However, there is a mystery here -- Wikipedia says that her 10,000th dive was on 18 March, 1960. However by that time Larry Thivierge had been out of the RCN for 11 months. Larry says: " . . . . the dive in question would have taken place sometime between September 1957 to July 10, 1958. During those dates we were on the Newfoundland patrol, looking for subs off the coast of Newfoundland/Labrador. There was a US submarine there that we "discovered" surfaced one time during a heavy storm and I suspect that it was our first contact with the USS Spikefish." Larry said in another email he remembers that after the occasion photographed below, they gave a plaque to the Captain of the submarine, but that's all he can remember. So, that's Larry's story and he's stickin' to it.
September, 2017 : Larry did extensive research to determine the proper date of Spikefish's 10,000th dive. Was it 1960 or was it the dive he witnessed on HMCS Lanark? He got an email from a former US Naval historian which says in part: " I have actually found conflicting information on some of the information presented by the US Navy itself. I used to work for the Naval History and Heritage Command in Washington, DC and would find all kinds of facts that were faulty. You'll need a couple of lifetimes to straighten it all out. "
The correct information is probably buried somewhere in the US navy's archives. I would bet there is a commemmorative plaque dated some time in 1957/58 presented by HMCS Lanark.
USS Spikefish starts its 10,000th dive, 1957-58, somewhere off the coast of Newfoundland.
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Many thanks to Larry Thivierge for these photos.
Can you provide details or corrections?
Please email Charlie Dobie.