USS Albacore Declared AWS Historical Welded Structure

MIAMI -- October 21, 2000 -- The American Welding Society (AWS) is proud to announce the dedication of the USS Albacore Research Submarine as an AWS Historical Welded Structure. Presented this month by AWS President L. William Myers, the award was accepted by Professor Gene Allmedinger, one of the submarines original designers, and members of the museum staff.

The Albacore was built in 1953 at the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Naval Shipyard. Used for testing a variety of control systems, sonars and welding procedures, the ship's design and manufacture became a model for contemporary submarines. The Albacore was brought into dry dock in 1985 and now serves as an historical exhibit and memorial to all the men who lost their lives in the US submarine service.

The Historical Welded Structure Award is part of the Society's Extraordinary Welded Structure Award Program. Presented to structures and vehicles which have pioneered the science and application of welding, the Extraordinary Welded Structure Awards are presented by the AWS Past Presidents Committee. Past recipients include the St. Louis Arch, the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and the External Fuel Tank of the NASA Space Shuttle.