POTSDAM – A ship’s bell memorializing a Potsdam High School graduate who died in the sinking of a U.S. Navy submarine in 1963 has a place of honor in the Potsdam Public Museum.

Steven George Cayey (1939-1963) graduated from Potsdam High in 1957. He joined the Navy and served on the USS Thresher, a nuclear submarine which sank April 10, 1963 in 8,400 feet of water 220 miles off the coast of Massachusetts. All 129 crewmen aboard including Torpedoman Second Class Cayey perished.

Steven’s sister Diane (Cayey) Anderson of Alabama donated the memorial bell to the Potsdam Public Museum.

The nickel plated ship's bell was donated to the family by Frank Dorchak, a Navy veteran from Malone, who had been assigned to the submarine for its last voyage but was bumped from the crew by a man who re-enlisted and was assigned to the boat in Dorchak’s place.

Dorchak is now the historian of the Malone American Legion, Post 219. He organized the tribute to Cayey, who was born in Malone and moved to Potsdam at the age of 7. The family lived in Hannawa Falls.

The bell was delivered to the museum by Bob Shelly, a close friend and classmate of Steve Cayey. It is on view at the museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday at 2 Park Street, the Potsdam Civic Center.

Call (315) 265-6910 for more information.