James Nesmith is leading the effort to have a nuclear submarine named after Los Alamos and he presented details of that effort Tuesday evening to the County Council. Print Screen/LAC

The Los Alamos County Council voted 7-0 Tuesday evening to approve a resolution endorsing the naming of a US Naval submarine as the USS Los Alamos.

Los Alamos resident James Nesmith recently approached Los Alamos County to inquire about a resolution of support for naming a future nuclear powered submarine the USS Los Alamos. Councilor David Izraelevitz and County Manager Harry Burgess have discussed this possibility with Nesmith and Izraelevitz carried the initiative forward Tuesday evening.

Nesmith provided a brief presentation and additional background about his request during the Council meeting. Initiating the naming process in 2015 for the USS Los Alamos is timely, he said. Such requests can take several years to fulfill because of the approval process and length of time needed for production of a nuclear submarine. The request is more likely to be successful if there is support demonstrated at the local, state and national level, he said, adding that the local county council passing the resolution would be the first step in the process. 

In discussing the language of the resolution that went before Council for consideration, the text emphasizes several points justifying the request:

• the role that Los Alamos fulfilled during the Manhattan Project in World War II;
• the long history that Los Alamos has with nuclear energy and partnering with the U.S. Navy on projects; and
• the timeliness of the request given that the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park was approved and opened this fall.

In addition, with the process initiated with the passing of a resolution Tuesday, Nesmith said the approval by the U.S. Secretary of the Navy could possibly be granted in time for it to be announced as part of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s 75th anniversary in 2018 – a fitting tribute to the men and women of Los Alamos and Northern New Mexico who served on the Manhattan Project during World War II, and in recognition of their continued work at LANL today.

“It’s an honor and a pleasure to be heading up this effort to have a nuclear submarine named after our fair community. And a great part of that pleasure comes from working with my fellow committee members who bring exceptional backgrounds to bear on our effort,” Nesmith said.

He recognized his committee members Brian D’Andrea, a graduate of Annapolis class of 1984, with 30 years of broad-based technical and managerial experience, both in and out of the Navy where he was also a navigator; Sieg Shalles, 26.5 years in the U.S. Navy, former Commander of the USS Archerfish, a Sturgeon class attack submarine and former commander of the USS Alabama Gold, an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine; Jon Ventura, Lead laboratory staff for interactions with United States Service Academies, particularly Annapolis; and Alan Carr, LANL Historian.

“The name Los Alamos is iconic in the history of the United States. No other community of its size has had and continues to have such a dramatic impact on national security and global stability as Los Alamos,” Nesmith said. “Much of that effort has been in partnership with the U.S. Navy and a surprising number of residents of Los Alamos are former Navy.”

Nesmith said it is entirely appropriate to have a nuclear powered submarine named the USS Los Alamos, a fitting tribute to the men and women of Los Alamos who have served in the nation’s interest since 1943 and to the contributions they have made that makes the world a safer place. And it is the men and women of Los Alamos and surrounding communities who are the driving force and intellectual fuel for all of these accomplishments, he said.

“Los Alamos is where the first nuclear weapons were designed that ended the deadliest war in history,” Nesmith said. “It was at Los Alamos that the knowledge and understanding of nuclear energy was developed that provided the scientific basis that led to the development of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear propulsion systems used throughout our fleet today.”

Los Alamos is where the nuclear deterrent that helped end the cold war was designed, tested and certified, he said. It is Los Alamos where the nation’s nuclear stockpile is annually certified for reliability, including the entire sea-based deterrent aboard U.S. Navy submarines.

“We have been sent around the world to address scientific and security issues of national and international significance, such as providing inspectors for weapons of mass destruction in countries around the world … contributions in nearly every field of science too numerous to describe,” Nesmith said. “The resolution you consider tonight is the cornerstone of this effort. It is the most obvious manifestation of our community’s solid support for a USS Los Alamos. From it will come similar expressions from the State legislature, the Governor and our Congressional Delegation. When the Secretary of the Navy receives the formal request for a USS Los Alamos from our Congressional delegation, your resolution will be on the very top of all supporting documents.”

Nesmith also told council that everyone he and his committee talk to in the community, whether former military or not, “is thrilled with the prospect of a ship being named after Los Alamos”. He added that it’s not just residents of Los Alamos but also three four-star admirals and two three-star admirals who he believes will be supporting the effort.

Letter of support from the Navy League of the United States New Mexico Council: