Honoring the State of Idaho
Thu Aug 7th, 2025
It’s often said that Sun Valley is the center of the universe, as the Wood River Valley community is naturally connected to many people across the country and abroad, especially for lovers of outdoor sports, activities, and mountains.
Today, Sun Valley has another chance to reach the world by sea through the USS IDAHO (SSN 799), a Virginia Class, nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarine. The USS IDAHO (SSN 799) is the first U.S. Navy warship to carry the name in over 100 years since the battleship USS IDAHO (BB42) was christened in June 1917.
Under construction by General Dynamics/Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, the USS IDAHO (SSN 799) is scheduled to be commissioned in April/May 2026 and can serve for up to 35 years, traveling the world’s oceans and pulling into numerous ports of call. Foreign dignitaries and VIP guests will be invited to tour the submarine carrying Idaho’s name. The submarine’s interior will feature Idaho scenes and sights, where Navy-trained galley specialists can offer a taste of Idaho, with skills learned at the Sun Valley Culinary Institute last summer.
The commissioning committee will oversee the “habitability improvements” of the submarine’s common areas, including the ward room, crew mess, and berthing areas. “The plan is to decorate with Idaho-specific images and Idaho historic relics to connect the crew and the ship’s visitors to our great state,” indicates Commissioning Committee member William Potter. “In conjunction with the Navy, the commissioning committee will host receptions during the commissioning, which is expected to draw more than 1,000 attendees from Idaho. At the 2024 christening, there were only three individuals from Blaine County.”
According to Potter, “With additional awareness effort, Blaine County’s commissioning attendees’ number should grow as this is an exciting once-in-a-lifetime bucket list type event. Countywide, we will be building our awareness and development programs to support that and show the rest of the state that while we are only 24,000+ in number, we are enormously patriotic.”
The fifth ship named for Idaho, USS IDAHO (SSN 799) will eventually have about 120 enlisted personnel and 14 officers. The crew will be composed of both men and women across many ranks. Over the next 12 months, patriotic events supporting USS IDAHO (SSN 799) will be held not only to mark the U.S. Constitution’s 250th anniversary in 2026 but also to celebrate the commissioning when it will join a fleet of 25 other Virginia-class submarines. Currently SSN 799 is preparing for sea trials.
Beyond the new submarine, Idaho’s legacy of naval support and nuclear heritage is significant. Sun Valley was a Navy town from 1943 to 1946, when the Challenger Inn, now known as the Sun Valley Lodge, housed 1,500 Navy personnel who cared for more than 6,500 wounded sailors and Marines. Some other interesting facts include Idaho being the birthplace of Naval Nuclear Propulsion, with the development and construction of the first submarine and first aircraft carrier nuclear propulsion plants. In addition, Idaho’s Lake Pend Oreille is home to the Navy’s leading underwater acoustic research and development laboratory, making our submarine fleet the quietest in the world.
Having tangible signs of support from the namesake state goes a long way toward the morale of the crew. In addition to the iconic scenes of Idaho on the submarine, the USS IDAHO Commissioning Committee has established the USS IDAHO Scholarship Endowment via the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation. Current and former crew members of the USS IDAHO (SSN 799) and their families will be eligible to apply for these scholarships for the next 50 years.
Christened on Saturday, March 16, 2024, the USS IDAHO (SSN 799), following a longstanding naval tradition, was officially launched by Ship Sponsor Terry Stackley with a unique Idahoan touch: Instead of breaking a bottle of champagne on the hull, a bottle filled with carbonated water from four Idaho lakes—Lake Pend Oreille, Payette Lake, Henrys Lake, and Redfish Lake was successfully used. The next step involves sea trials to demonstrate the submarine’s capabilities, after which it will be handed over to the U.S. Navy in a private commissioning ceremony. From there the submarine will go wherever needed.
Those in Blaine County interested in supporting the crew and potentially attending unique dockside commissioning ceremonies in April or May 2026 should contact the USS Idaho Commissioning Committee at ussidahocommittee.org or use the Blaine County-specific QR code. The Navy is expected to announce the ceremony dates this October. To join the USS Idaho Commissioning Committee, visit ussidahocommittee.org.
VICTORY BELLES PERFORM IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Victory Belles will visit the Wood River Valley from the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. With their period costumes, old-fashioned glamour, and harmonies reminiscent of boogie-woogie and swing, the Victory Belles—an act from the Andrews Sisters era— reflect a time of national crisis but also unity, patriotism, and wholesomeness. Founded in 2009, the troupe has entertained not only museum visitors but also audiences across the country during their periodic road trips. The trio also plans to perform a few Idaho songs in support of the USS IDAHO (SSN 799) commissioning.
