Lawrence Whitten
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Lawrence Eugene Whitten (1930 - 1963)

Lawrence Eugene Whitten
Born in Waterboro, York, Maine, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
[spouse(s) unknown]
[children unknown]
Died at age 33 in At Seamap
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jeff Gentry private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 28 Oct 2020
This page has been accessed 114 times.

Contents

Biography

Lawrence was born on 4 Apr 1930 in Waterboro, Maine,[1] the son of Joseph Frank Whitten and Flora Maude Benson Whitten.[2] In 1935 and in 1940, Lawrence lived in Waterboro with his parents and three older brothers.[2] His father, Frank, worked as an edger/cutter at a lumber mill and his mother worked full-time outside the home as kitchen help. Lawrence graduated from Waterboro's Massabesic High School in 1948, where he was an honor student[3] and worked at Lewis Paint Company in nearby Sanford, Maine.[4] He was the first person in his immediate family to complete high school.[2] After high school, he attended the University of New Hampshire and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering.[3]

Lawrence lived in Lyman, Maine in 1951, 35 miles from the main campus of the University of New Hampshire, and was living there when he married Elizabeth L. Thyng of West Kennebunk, Maine on 1 Sep 1951.[5] Over the next 12 years, the couple had two daughters - Ann R. and Sharon L. Whitten. Lawrence was active in community and church affairs, was an avid fisherman, and an amateur flyer. After university, Lawrence became associated with the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, where he served as an electronic engineer in the Sonar Section of the Combat Systems Division.[3]

On the morning of 9 Apr 1963, Lawrence was one of 17 civilians onboard the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Thresher, departing from Kittery, Maine for post-overhaul dive trials. After garbled communications from the boat on 10 Apr 1963, the submarine was lost with all 129 aboard.[6]

Research Notes

The USS Thresher website[3] indicates graduation from Waterboro High School, but the U. S. Yearbooks Name Index[4] indicates he actually graduated from Massabesic High School, which is the correct name for the Waterboro, Maine high school.[7]

Sources

  1. "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J5BS-XMD : 20 August 2020), Laurence Whitten, Apr 1963; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KM93-8TQ : 16 May 2020), Laurence E Whitten in household of J Frank Whitten, Waterboro Town, York, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 16-86, sheet 5A, line 19, family 93, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1497.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "USS Thresher Ship's Roster | In Memoriam - Lawrence Eugene Whitten." Retrieved from https://www.ussthresher.com/roster/whittenl.htm on 27 Oct 2020.
  4. 4.0 4.1 U.S. Yearbooks Name Index, 1890-1979, MyHeritage.com [online database], MyHeritage Ltd. https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10569/us-yearbooks-name-index-1890-1979. Lawrence Whitten. School: Massabesic High School. School location: Waterboro, York County, Maine, United States. Yearbook year: 1950-00-00.
  5. "Maine, Marriage Index, 1892-1966, 1977-1996," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KCJX-LB2 : 27 November 2014), Laurence E Whitten and Elizabeth L Thyng, 01 Sep 1951; citing Marriage, Maine, United States, State Archives, Augusta.
  6. Wikipedia contributors. (2020, October 26). USS Thresher (SSN-593). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 04:28, October 28, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=USS_Thresher_(SSN-593)&oldid=985514390
  7. Wikipedia contributors. (2020, October 22). Massabesic High School. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 04:41, October 28, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Massabesic_High_School&oldid=984846220

Acknowledgements

DK Clews - created WikiTree profiles in Oct 2020 for most of the crew of the USS Thresher, with accompanying research.





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Comments: 2

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Hi Jeff.

This profile is terrific. It's really top notch in every way. A beautiful tribute to the man.

Someday when I have time I should connect up his ancestors and see how we relate.

Chris

posted by Chris Whitten
Thanks. When you made this comment, I didn't realize that you are the founder of Wikitree. I appreciate the compliment. Glad to see you connected the parents.
posted by Jeff Gentry