Lost Boats

Lost Harbor

There is a port of no return, where ships
May ride at anchor for a little space
And then, some starless night, the cable slips,
Leaving an eddy at the mooring place . . .
Gulls, veer no longer. Sailor, rest your oar.
No tangled wreckage will be washed ashore.

by Leslie Nelson Jennings

Lost Boats

One way we remember our shipmates still on patrol is through the Tolling of the Boats ceremony. Before beginning, the Master of Ceremony traditionally gives a short speech explaining the tradition. During the ceremony, the name, date, and loss of each submarine is read, followed by the striking of a bell. Other than the narrator, silence appropriate for a memorial ceremony is maintained. The chaplain may close with a prayer. It is our common prayer that this list is never added to. As time passes, more information is learned about these losses and this page will be updated.