The USS Cincinnati submarine memorial, once envisioned for Cincinnati’s riverfront, will instead be built in Butler County.

Parts of the former Cold War-era attack sub will be part of a proposed Cold War Memorial and Peace Pavilion at the Voice of America Museum Center in West Chester, according to three groups that sent an invitation to local reporters for an announcement Monday afternoon.

The U.S. Navy submarine was decommissioned in 1996 after nearly 20 years of worldwide Cold War service, but parts of it, including its sail, were salvaged. The sail is the tower-like structure found on the top surface of submarines.

It had long been the dream of Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune to bring the submarine to its namesake city. Portune, who died in 2020, had hoped to put the whole submarine on the riverfront, west of Paycor Stadium.

But that never came to be. Musings about possibly putting it outside the Cincinnati Museum Center never came to fruition either.

The last public mention of the project was in 2019. At that time, Hamilton County commissioners applied for a $5 million state capital grant to build a new USS Cincinnati Cold War Veterans Memorial between the Brent Spence Bridge and the stadium, according to Enquirer reporting.

The county did not win the grant.

“The late Commissioner Todd Portune was passionate about preserving Cincinnati’s rich military history,” said Phil Beck, the Hamilton County Banks project executive and a U.S. Navy veteran. “I know that he would have been pleased knowing the USS Cincinnati has a place of honor in the Cincinnati region.”

The invitation for Monday’s unveiling says the project is “in partnership” with the Northern Cincinnati Foundation, MetroParks of Butler County and West Chester. Spokespeople for each group declined to comment.

Details of the memorial are expected to be unveiled at 2 p.m. Monday during a press conference at the museum, where the memorial would likely be located, according to the invitation.

About the USS Cincinnati

Launched: Feb. 19, 1977.

What is it: A nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine.

Commissioned into the U.S. Navy: March 11, 1978.

Built by: Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.

Decommissioned: July. 29, 1996, a victim of defense cuts at the end of the Cold War.

Then what? The U.S. Navy allows ships and boats to be transferred to cities and nonprofit agencies with proof of financing for transportation and a plan for refurbishment and operations for at least five years.

New ship: On Oct. 25, 2019, the U.S. Navy commissioned the USS Cincinnati combat ship. Former Cincinnati Mayor and Vice Mayor David Mann, a U.S. Navy veteran, attended the christening ceremony. The USS Cincinnati is currently stationed in San Diego, California.

Source: Enquirer research

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: USS Cincinnati submarine set to become local memorial