Community Happenings / History

Sandpoint welcomes USS Idaho commanding officer

September 13, 2023

By Reader Staff

Three years after its official keel-laying ceremony at the shipyard in Quonset Point, R.I., the USS Idaho (SSN-799) is still under construction but will soon by plying the waves. In the meantime, Sandpoint will welcome Commanding Officer Randall Leslie with a reception Monday, Sept. 18 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Sandpoint Community Hall (204 South First Ave.).

The USS Idaho is the 26th ship of the Virginia class of advanced nuclear attack submarines, and the fifth Navy ship to be named after the Gem State — the most recent being the New Mexico class battleship commissioned in 1919, which saw service in World War II and played a critical role in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Commander Randall Leslie will take charge of the USS Idaho submarine and will appear in Sandpoint 6:30-8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 18. Photo Courtesy US Navy.

Hosted by the Rotary Club of Sandpoint and the USS Idaho Commissioning Foundation, the Sept. 18 event will include five crew members as well as former-Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, who also served as a U.S. senator and Interior secretary under former-President George W. Bush. Kempthorne is also the chair of the commissioning committee.

To learn more, visit SSN799.org.

Want to support independent local journalism?

The Sandpoint Reader is our town's local, independent weekly newspaper. "Independent" means that the Reader is locally owned and operated by people who were born and raised in Sandpoint. The Reader is owned by Publisher Ben Olson, Editor-in-Chief Zach Hagadone and Senior Writer Soncirey Mitchell. Sandpoint Reader LLC is a completely independent business unit; no big newspaper group or corporate conglomerate or billionaire owner dictates our editorial policy. And we want the news, opinion and lifestyle stories we report to be freely available to all interested readers - so unlike many other newspapers and media websites, we have NO PAYWALL on our website. The Reader relies wholly on the support of our valued advertisers, as well as readers who voluntarily contribute. Want to ensure that local, independent journalism survives in our town? You can help support the Reader for as little as $1.

Contribute at Patreon

Contribute at Paypal

Tags: Commander Randall Leslie will take charge of the USS Idaho submarine and will appear in Sandpoint 6:30-8 p.m. on Monday Commanding Officer Randall Leslie former-Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne nuclear attack submarines Quonset Point R.I.Rotary Club of Sandpoint and the USS Idaho Commissioning Foundation sandpoint community hall Sandpoint welcomes USS Idaho commanding officer Sept. 18. Photo Courtesy US Navy.the USS Idaho (SSN-799)world war ii