Several members of the WPI community attended a weekend of events celebrating the commissioning of the USS Massachusetts, the U.S. Navy’s newest nuclear-powered, Virginia-class attack submarine.
Students Charles Pressey ’28, aerospace engineering; Max Sivert ’26, robotics engineering; and Jamie Appell ’26, mechanical and materials engineering; along with faculty advisor and associate teaching professor Robert Daniello, attended the commissioning reception at the Boston Harbor Hotel on Friday, March 27. The student trio, along with graduate student Mateo Macias, used Washburn Shops to fabricate several commemorative projects now installed in the sub, including the boat’s bell stand, a coffee mug holder, two tables, and numerous plaques, some of which were made from copper removed from the hull of the USS Constitution.
Alumnus Dinis Pimentel ’92, chair of the board of directors for the commissioning committee of the USS Massachusetts, fondly remembered the time he spent in Washburn Shops as a student and reached out to Daniello for help fabricating the commemorative items. Read about how Pimentel connected producers from home improvement show This Old House with WPI to help put the finishing touches on the mug holder.
Sivert and Daniello also attended the actual commissioning on Saturday, March 28.
