Kenneth W. Stevens, Lieutenant

Died: Tuesday, June 6, 1944

Lt. Kenneth W. Stevens died on June 6, 1944 while patrolling the Connecticut River. Lieutenant Stevens of Chester was the commanding officer of the Groton station and worked with the Navy to keep the military installations secure. Stevens was on the Connecticut River in a State Police boat at about 6:00 p.m. when the boat struck an obscure pile from an old pier. He and four other officers were thrown into the river. As the five men swam towards shore, the other four men reported they saw Stevens’ body go rigid and start to float away on the surface. Stevens was pulled from the water and, following an autopsy, the medical examiner concluded that he had suffered a massive heart attack.