On Friday, September 10, Electric Boat hosted the sponsor of the IDAHO (SSN 799) at the Quonset Point site. Ship’s Sponsor Teresa Stackley, former SECNAV Sean Stackley, and former governor of Idaho and head of the Idaho Commissioning Committee Dirk Kempthorne were given a tour of the 2B-5 Super Module, along with the Commanding Officer and Executive officer of the Idaho’s pre-commissioning crew. The guests were extremely grateful for the opportunity to see the future Idaho and amazed at the progress EB has made since its keel laying ceremony just last August, and expressed how proud they are of the remarkable workmanship our shipbuilders have shown with the construction of the Idaho.
Following the tour, there was a picnic held at the Admiral Fife Navy Recreation Area for the Idaho pre-commissioning crew and their guests. Governor Kempthorne described Idaho as a special submarine due to its direct ties to the state of Idaho, which is usually not a well-known fact. Kempthorne explained that Idaho had several links to submarine research and development. Lake Pend Oreille has been a site for acoustic development sound studies. The Naval Reactors Facility in Idaho Falls developed the first generation submarine reactor prototype which was improved upon before being used in the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear powered submarine. Mrs. Stackley, whose father worked as an engineer at Electric Boat, spoke to the future crew and assured them that they are appreciated, respected, and supported by all of us when it comes time to board the Idaho for the first time and depart, leaving their friends and families far from our shores for months at a time, and that it is her honor and privilege to be on this journey with them.
After their remarks, the officers and crew presented Governor Kempthorne with an American flag that was the first flown from one of Idaho’s modules in the Groton Shipyard. Mrs. Stackley was presented with a framed print of the first rendering of the submarine Idaho against a map of the Thames River and Long Island Sound.
