Sailor assigned to Bangor-based Ohio-class submarine died by suicide

Peiyu Lin, Kitsap Sun
Updated ·2 min read
Families wait on the pier as the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN-730) prepares to moor at Naval Base Kitsap–Bangor after completing a patrol on April 27, 2023. Henry M. Jackson is one of eight ballistic-missile submarines stationed at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.
Families wait on the pier as the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN-730) prepares to moor at Naval Base Kitsap–Bangor after completing a patrol on April 27, 2023. Henry M. Jackson is one of eight ballistic-missile submarines stationed at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.

Editor's Note: The story covers suicide in the military community. Service members and veterans who are having thoughts of suicide can call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat to contact the Veterans Crisis Line for confidential support.

BANGOR — A service member assigned to the blue crew of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN-730) died by suicide on November 21, bringing this year's confirmed number of suicide deaths from active duty service members in Kitsap County to four as of November.

The machinist’s mate 1st class submariner was found dead at his residence onboard Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, according to Navy spokesperson Lt. Corey T. Jones at Submarine Group 9.

Kitsap County Medical Examiner's Office, who investigated the death, told Kitsap Sun that his death was a suicide in an email on Monday.

Naval Base Kitsap and Submarine Readiness Squadron 31 have chaplains and counselors available to support sailors and family members in need of services, Jones said.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Sailor’s family, shipmates and all those impacted by his passing," Jones said in a written statement.

Naval Criminal Investigative Services are currently investigating the incident, according to Jones.

As previously reported in the Sun, the Annual Report on Suicide in the Military: Calendar Year (CY) 2022 released by the Department of Defense cited 71 suicides by Navy personnel in 2022, and an unadjusted suicide rate per 100,000 active components in the Navy is 20.6 in 2022, both increases from the previous year and part of an overall trend of a growing number of deaths in military service.

In April, a petty officer assigned to Submarine Development Squadron (DEVRON) 5, also located at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, died by suicide in Silverdale. A USS Theodore Roosevelt sailor died by suicide in Bremerton in January and a USS Nimitz sailor took his own life at his off-base residence in October this year.

More: Third suicide by Kitsap-based Navy sailor in 2023 part of rising number in service

Resources for service members

  • Service members and veterans who are having thoughts of suicide can call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat to contact the Veterans Crisis Line for confidential support.

  • Those stationed outside of the U.S. can access the crisis line by: Calling 00800-1273-8255 or DSN 118 in Europe; Calling 080-855-5118 or DSN 118 in Japan and Korea; Dialing 1-800 273-8255 or DSN 111 in Afghanistan.

  • DOD civilian employees can access resources, information, and confidential help by calling 1-866-580-9046.

  • In the U.S., the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-8255. Crisis Text Line can be reached by texting HOME to 741741 (US) for free, available 24/7, and confidential support.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Bangor-based USS Henry M Jackson submariner died by suicide