LEWISTON – Veterans’ organization members and the public are invited to a memorial service for “All Hands Lost at Sea” and the 42nd anniversary of the loss of the nuclear submarine USS Thresher at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 9, on the Longley Bridge.

All those attending are asked to meet at the parking lot in the rear of Yvon’s Car Wash on the Lewiston side of the bridge.

The Thresher sank off the coast of Massachusetts while she was on her shakedown cruise from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on April 9, 1963. She was declared lost by the Navy on April 10, 1963. On board were 19 officers, 96 enlisted men and 17 civilian technicians.

Tom Dow, who was a Navy seaman on the USS Recovery and was at the last known location of the USS Thresher, will give a report of his experience.

At noon the assembly will march single-file to the center of the Longley Bridge on the down river side. The “Star Spangled Banner” will be sung by the assembly, followed by invocation by Past President Emeritus of the USS Canberra Association Jerry DerBoghosian.

The memorial wreath will be thrown into the Androscoggin River, and a poem will be read by Commander Richard Giem, Post 22, American Legion. “Taps” will be sounded and “God Bless America” will be sung by the assembly.

The memorial service will be held rain or shine. For information, call DerBoghosian at 782-5700 or 353-7435.