USS Idaho Sailors to Visit Lewiston, Lapwai, Grangeville, Moscow

Wed Sep 20th, 2023

LEWISTON - The USS Idaho Commissioning Committee will welcome a contingent of the first U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to the under-construction USS Idaho to the Gem State. One sailor, Petty Officer Robert Boscan, hails from Hayden. It is a core mission of the committee to familiarize the sailors with Idaho and to establish a bond between citizens and the sailors who will take the USS Idaho to sea.  A press release says it is a crucial part of our nation’s military strategy.

The USS Idaho, a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine under construction in Groton, CT, is on schedule to be christened in 2024 and commissioned into U.S. Navy active service in 2025. This is the first Navy vessel to be named after Idaho in over 100 years. A committee of Idaho volunteers is working to plan for the warship’s christening and commissioning activities under guidelines set by the Secretary of the Navy.

During this trip to Idaho, the committee has planned a number of activities for Commander Randall Leslie and 5 crew members to include a visit to the Navy's Acoustic Research Detachment at Bayview. This is significant because the USS Idaho's quieting improvements were evaluated on Lake Pend Oreille at this facility. In fact, every quieting improvement for U.S. Navy submarines over the past 50 years was tested and improved at the Bayview test facility. The crew will also visit the historic World War II Naval Training Station (now Farragut State Park) and then meet with local submarine veterans and local leaders at a public reception in Sandpoint. On Tuesday, they will meet members of Kellogg High School's U.S. Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps. The crew will also visit the Nez Perce County Museum in Lapwai. After touring University of Idaho's Schweitzer Engineering Labs to see the construction of components for the submarine, crew members will attend the Vandals football game on Sep. 23.

On Wednesday, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., a Lewiston Reception is planned, hosted by the Lewiston VFW Sourdough Post 10043 and the USS Idaho Commissioning Foundation, VFW Hall, 1104 Warner Ave, Lewiston.

On Thursday, from 6 to 7 p.m., a Grangeville Reception will be hosted by the Grangeville American Legion Post 0037 and the USS Idaho Commissioning Foundation at the Idaho County Veterans Center, 318 E. Main St., Grangeville.

The crew will attend the University of Idaho football game vs. Sacramento State in Moscow. They will be introduced to the crowd at halftime.