Photo By Alana Demo |
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard's mall has been the shipyard’s gathering place for a......read moreread more
Photo By Alana Demo | The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard's mall has been the shipyard’s gathering place for a long time. Shipyard workers gathered at the mall around 1861 for their oath of allegiance to the United States in the early days of the American Civil War. see less
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The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard's mall has been the shipyard’s gathering place for a long time. Shipyard workers gathered at the mall around 1861 for their oath of allegiance to the United States in the early days of the American Civil War.
It was also a place where war bond drives were held during both World Wars and where the Thresher Memorial Service was conducted April 15, 1963 just days after the submarine was lost with all hands aboard.
Today, the mall, an unofficial name commonly used by the workforce, is used for promotions, change of commands, retirement ceremonies, PROS on the Mall, and other events. It is a place where the shipyard workforce can come together, connect and support each other; a place of reflection, respect, honor, and pride.
“It is an island of respite,” said Mary Clancey occupational safety, health and environment department head secretary. “I always pause on Charles Morris Ave. to look down through the production area. Standing there I can see the contrast of yellow cranes and a white church steeple against the blue sky framed by new and old buildings. That view captures the connection of a shipyard to its community. It is an intersection of past, present and future.”
To commemorate PNSY's construction of three Fleet Ballistic Missile submarines between 1958 and 1965, the Squalus Memorial Chapter and the U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II presented a plaque to acting commander Capt. James B. Grady. The plaque, which accompanies a 30-foot Polaris missile model displayed in the center of the mall, and stands as a lasting testament to the shipyard’s critical role in the Navy's mission.
The mall's plaques and monuments, like the USS Tallapoosa (WPG-52) anchor, honor key figures like Adm. Hyman G. Rickover and Adm. David Dixon Porter. Additionally, they pay tribute to the lost crews of the USS Sculpin (SS 191), and USS Squalus (SS 192), alongside shipyard employees who died in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
Joe Gluckert shipyard historian has an affection for the USS Sailfish (SS192), formerly known as USS Squalus, memorial. “The sail and conning tower of the Sailfish was installed on the shipyard mall in 1946 as a memorial to all 52 U.S. Navy submarines lost during the war,” said Gluckert. “It is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices that were made during the war and the shipyard’s on-going commitment to the Navy’s submarine fleet.”
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard mall is a living testament to centuries of service, sacrifice and innovation. By preserving its monuments — from the towering Polaris missile to Memorial Park's commemorative bricks — the shipyard ensures the legacy of its military and civilian workforce is never forgotten. Each ceremony connects the shipyard’s 1800 establishment to its modern mission, carrying past perseverance into every submarine returned to the fleet.
“The mall is a place that embraces the shipyard’s and the Navy’s history,” said Jeff Koenig director of corporate operations, Submarine Maintenance Engineering, Planning and Procurement who has been working at PNSY for 17 years. “It brings me a lot of pride to be part of an organization that has such an exponential impact on our nation’s security and history and the mall is a representation of that.”
