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U.S. Navy christens new USS Idaho in Connecticut

The U.S. Navy's newest Virginia-class submarine was formally christened and named on March 16 at General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, Connecticut.

Kara Valentine

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Published: 10:08 PM MDT March 14, 2024
Updated: 9:50 AM MDT March 16, 2024

The U.S. Navy's newest warship, the future USS Idaho (SSN 799), was formally christened and named on Saturday, March 16 in Connecticut.

The USS Idaho title has been held by four naval vessels in the past, enduring two world wars and earning seven battle stars.

After Saturday's christening, a fifth naval vessel now boasts the name of the USS Idaho, in hopes of joining the United States Navy fleet.

The christening occurred on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, Connecticut.

Watch the ceremony:

At the ceremony, ship sponsor Terry Stackley christened the submarine in the traditional manner with a bottle. However, the USS Idaho Commissioning Committee said that, in unique Idaho fashion, rather than breaking a bottle of champagne on the boat's hull, Stackley christened the ship with a bottle of water - but not just any water.

The water is from four of Idaho's lakes: Lake Pend Oreille, Payette Lake, Henrys Lake and Redfish Lake. 

"This is the first U.S. Navy warship to bear the Idaho name in more than 100 years. She was last christened as a battleship in June 1917. It's been over 100 years since there's been a USS Idaho. That was a battleship. Battleship 42 in WWII. Now we have the great honor of having an additional ship named USS Idaho SSN 799. States that have the honor of having a namesake ship, then support the ship, the crew, the families of the crew to increase habitability aboard that ship...is really quite stark," said USS Commissioning Committe advisory board member and former Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne. "These wonderful sailors are going to remain submerged for three to six months at a time, often without the use of their smartphones. And so, if we can make it so that when they step aboard their ship, it looks like Idaho and reminds them of the greatness that's here...that's tremendous."

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