The approximate thin‐shell theory of Herrmann and Mirsky is used to study stress wave propagation in a thin‐walled cylindrical tube due to sudden release of a concentrated ring pressure. The tube is assumed to be of infinite length, so that the problem is a pure initial‐value problem for which the solution can be represented as a superposition of harmonic plane waves. Numerical results are plotted for profiles of strains, stress resultants, and displacements versus distance along the tube axis at several times after the load is released.