City of Albuquerque
USS Albuquerque Monument
Draft Site Concept Plan for USS Albuquerque Monument at Tingley Beach
Contact us with comments/questions on the draft Site Concept Plan at: ussalbuquerquemonunent@gmail.com
The USS Albuquerque is Coming Home!
The USS Albuquerque (SSN-706), a nuclear-powered Los Angeles-class attack submarine, was decommissioned in 2017 after being in service for nearly 34 years. The submarine was assigned the hull number "SSN-706" in homage to the 1706 founding of the City of Albuquerque. The City of Albuquerque has reserved the submarine's iconic sail and fairwater planes from the U.S. Navy, which is currently being restored. Measuring 33’ wide by 26’ long and standing 19’ tall, the sail is a striking visual reminder of the dedication of the servicemen and women who helped protect our country’s freedom.
The City is conducting a study of potential sites for the sail, which will become the centerpiece of a new monument honoring the service of the submarine’s crew. The City is soliciting suggestions and feedback for a new home for the USS Albuquerque.
Figure 1: USS Albuquerque operated from 1982 to 2015.
Figure 2: The USS Albuquerque surfacing somewhere off the coast of Morocco.
USS Albuquerque Monument
Tentative Project Schedule:
September 9, 2024 - Presentation of design concepts to kick off Navy week
September 2024-September 2025 - Restoration of sail
Fall 2024-Spring 2025 - Engineering and design of the monument and plaza
The History of the USS Albuquerque
The USS Albuquerque was commissioned in Groton, CT in May 1983. During its service, the ship completed 21 deployments, sailed in every ocean, and received numerous naval awards and commendations. The sub itself measured 362 ft. in length, with a beam (width) of 33 ft., and was equipped with four 21 in. torpedo tubes. The USS Albuquerque was 6,900 tons and capable of speeds greater than 25 knots. This sub cost approximately $900 million dollars and carried a crew of 12 officers and 115 enlisted submariners.
Figure 3: USS Albuquerque in drydock
Figure 4: Pete and Nancy Domenici visit the USS Albuquerque
The USS Albuquerque was first stationed in Groton, CT until it relocated to San Diego, CA in 2009. The submarine remained stationed in San Diego until it was decommissioned in 2017.
The City of Albuquerque’s support for the submarine began when Mayor Harry Kinney offered the keys to a Rolls Royce to the first captain who could bring the sub up the Rio Grande for a port call. The keys passed on to the skipper at each of 13 Change of Command ceremonies and were returned to the Mayor in 2017, after the USS Albuquerque was decommissioned.
The sub took its last dive near San Diego, CA in 2015 prior to being decommissioned. USS Albuquerque then sailed to the Puget Naval Sound Shipyard at Bremerton, Washington, where it is now awaiting dismantling as a part of the Navy's Ship/Submarine Recycling Program (SSRP). This is when the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, with assistance from the Navy League of the United States - New Mexico Council, petitioned the U.S. Navy to return the sail to the sub’s namesake city.