The bridge was completed in 1943 as a single span.
It was part of Southeastern Connecticut's "free span" highway bypass, a short 3.6-mile (5.8 km) long four-lane stretch connecting New London to Groton, Connecticut.
As part of the new highway, the bridge's purpose was to remove automobiles from a previous bridge that carried U.S. Route 1 over the Thames River.
 In 1958, the bypass was connected to the intersection of routes 95 and 395 in East Lyme.

The 13-mile (21 km) Route 184 bypass was completed to the Rhode Island border on December 12, 1964, officially making the bridge and both bypasses part of Interstate 95.
In 1951, the bridge was designated as the Gold Star Memorial Bridge in honor of members of the Armed Forces from Groton, New London, and Waterford who lost their lives during  World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

During construction of the second span on July 1, 1972, the US Coast Guard Academy's three-masted barque USCGC Eagle (WIX-327) was involved in a serious accident with the bridge as she was returning to her berth in New London.
The ship's foremast and mainmast caught the safety netting slung below the new bridge, despite extensive precautions, as she passed below the original span and the new span being built parallel to it.
Both masts were snapped off about seven-eighths of the way up, the upper parts left hanging dangerously from the remaining upright masts.
The ship had to undergo emergency repairs as a result.

The bridge's second span was completed in 1973.
The bridge was completed in 1943 as a single span. It was part of Southeastern Connecticut's "free span" highway bypass, a short 3.6-mile (5.8 km) long four-lane stretch connecting New London to Groton, Connecticut. As part of the new highway, the bridge's purpose was to remove automobiles from a previous bridge that carried U.S. Route 1 over the Thames River.  In 1958, the bypass was connected to the intersection of routes 95 and 395 in East Lyme.
The 13-mile (21 km) Route 184 bypass was completed to the Rhode Island border on December 12, 1964, officially making the bridge and both bypasses part of Interstate 95. In 1951, the bridge was designated as the Gold Star Memorial Bridge in honor of members of the Armed Forces from Groton, New London, and Waterford who lost their lives during  World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.
During construction of the second span on July 1, 1972, the US Coast Guard Academy's three-masted barque USCGC Eagle (WIX-327) was involved in a serious accident with the bridge as she was returning to her berth in New London. The ship's foremast and mainmast caught the safety netting slung below the new bridge, despite extensive precautions, as she passed below the original span and the new span being built parallel to it. Both masts were snapped off about seven-eighths of the way up, the upper parts left hanging dangerously from the remaining upright masts. The ship had to undergo emergency repairs as a result.
The bridge's second span was completed in 1973.
Gold Star Memorial Bridge