Stan
The Submariners always did their job, regardless of the price, and I am proud to wear dolphins even today. You mention the Thresher and the Scorpion, they were great losses and stunned the Submarine fleet. The loss of the Thresher probably saved another Boat or two because the SUBSAFE program was initiated which upgraded the QA on work done on Submarines, a series of failures on Thresher indicated yard repairs and parts failed and produced this catastrophe.

The loss of the Scorpion was also traumatic to the Boat Sailors. And unfortunately the Navy was unable to or unwilling to state the cause of this catastrophe and instead allowed rumors to circulate that the Scorpion was sunk by a Soviet Submarine, the US Submarine force operated under that supposition for 25 years or so. Can you imagine how leery we Sub Sailors were when we were shadowing Soviet Subs or trying to avoid Soviet Subs?
How many years of life do you suppose a Submariner loses when operating at ultra quiet while making patrols in Soviet steaming seas? And many times wondering when that torpedo in the water would be heard.
Ed