Ledyard is a town of about 15 000 people located in southeastern Connecticut . The town was named in honour of William Ledyard , a colonel in the colonial forces during the American Revolutionary War . He was killed at the Battle of Groton Heights in September 1781, reportedly after surrendering—a detail that still stands out in local history. The Naval Submarine Base New London is located just south of Ledyard and is a major employer for many of the town’s residents. Despite its name, the base is actually located in the city of Groton , along the Thames River . During World War I , the base expanded significantly, and by the end of the war it was home to about 1400 personnel and 20 submarines. A second major expansion took place during World War II , when the base grew from roughly 45 hectares to over 200 hectares. After the war, much of the submarine fleet was scrapped as part of postwar downsizing. Today, the base is home to around 16 attack submarines and serves as a fully operat...