SENATE MEMORIAL 12

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2015

INTRODUCED BY

William H. Payne

A MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING THE SUBMARINE USS ALBUQUERQUE AND HER THIRTY-THREE YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES AND ITS NAVY.

     WHEREAS, the USS Albuquerque (SSN-706) is a Los Angeles-class, nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarine named after the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, during her service life, the USS Albuquerque steamed well over one-half million miles, made well over one thousand dives, made goodwill port calls in eighteen countries and completed over fifteen overseas deployments, ranging from three to seven months in duration, from the north Atlantic to the Mediterranean to the Arabian sea to the west Pacific; and

     WHEREAS, since commissioning on May 21, 1983, a total of thirteen commanding officers guided the USS Albuquerque through her thirty-three years of active duty; and

     WHEREAS, the USS Albuquerque is known as the "Sure Shooter of the Submarine Force", having established the best hit rate by firing ten tomahawk missiles at targets in Serb-controlled Yugoslavia in May 1999; and

     WHEREAS, the USS Albuquerque is one of the very first nuclear-powered attack submarines to earn the distinction of combat veteran; and

     WHEREAS, the submarine has brought great pride to the city of Albuquerque through her participation in operation Iraqi freedom and her distinguished service in the global war on terrorism; and

     WHEREAS, the USS Albuquerque has completed several highly classified missions that not all United States submarines can perform; and

     WHEREAS, the USS Albuquerque has won four annual battle efficiency "E" awards for the most proficient submarine crew in her squadron, plus three meritorious unit commendations and a navy unit commendation in recognition of sustained superior technical performance and continual combat readiness; and

     WHEREAS, her 2001-2003 refueling cycle was the fastest ever at twenty months and the least expensive, saving nearly twenty million dollars ($20,000,000), both while setting new safety and training records, followed by the best post-overhaul performance and the most successful ever combat systems modernization; and

     WHEREAS, during an around-the-world deployment in August 2009 that included changing her home port from Groton, Connecticut, to San Diego, California, the USS Albuquerque became the submarine that completed the navy's split of submarine force assets, sixty percent in the Pacific, forty percent in the Atlantic; and

     WHEREAS, the submarine has enjoyed an active, long-standing, mutually beneficial relationship with its namesake city, with continuous support for the officers and crew by the greater Albuquerque chamber of commerce and the navy league New Mexico council; and

     WHEREAS, a community initiative has begun to acquire the submarine sail as the centerpiece for a planned USS Albuquerque memorial after decommissioning, scheduled for late 2015;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that sincere gratitude be expressed to the hundreds of submariners who have served with pride and distinction aboard the USS Albuquerque during the past thirty-three years; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the commanding officer of the USS Albuquerque.

- 3 -