Welcome

Welcome to USS Colorado (SSN-788) Commissioning Committee web site. USS Colorado (SSN-788) is the 15th Virginia Class submarine. She was delivered to the Navy on September 21, 2017. Having completed shakedown operations, she was commissioned on March 17, 2018 at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, CT. The Committee's purposes are to promote awareness within the state, provide support for the crew, and to help organize and raise money for the events surrounding commissioning.

Rocky Mountain Region Celebrates the 240th Birthday of the U. S. Navy

30. October 2015 · Comments Off on Rocky Mountain Region Celebrates the 240th Birthday of the U. S. Navy · Categories: Uncategorized

More than 200 guests joined in the time honored naval tradition of celebrating the Navy’s Birthday. The annual U.S. Navy Birthday Ball was hosted by the Navy League of the United States Colorado Springs Council on October 10, 2015. This Rocky Mountain Region gala was held at the elegant Antlers Hilton in downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado. In addition to marking the 240th birthday of the Navy, the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Navy Reserve was honored with the theme of “Ready Then. Ready Now. Ready Always.”

The semi-formal evening kicked off with a lively hour of socializing. Guests had the opportunity to greet friends and learn about the fleet’s newest fast attack submarine that is the state’s namesake, USS Colorado (SSN- 788). Information and mementos of the boat were available for the party goers. A focal point was a lighted ice sculpture of a ship’s anchor. The Widefield High School NJROTC Honor Guard presented the colors.

ADM Bill Gortney, Commander of NORAD and USNORTHCOM, was the guest speaker. His remarks to the audience centered upon the integration of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Navy Reserve. He thanked those in attendance for their service to the nation and recognized the youngest personnel present for their devotion to duty.

Following the remembrance of missing and departed comrades in arms, champagne toasts were made to the Commander in Chief and the services. Then guests enjoyed the ceremonial cutting of the Navy birthday cake. At the age of 102, LT James “Jim” Downing, USN (Ret), was honored as the most senior Navy serviceman present. He is one of the oldest known survivors of the Dec. 7, 1941, surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and is a Colorado Springs Council member. At age 18, Hospitalman Apprentice VanEsselstine was the youngest sailor at the celebration and enlisted in 2015. With ADM Gortney and CAPT Bethke cheering them on, LT Downing and HA VanEsselstine cut the birthday cake with the Navy sword.

The planning and execution of the annual U.S. Navy Birthday Ball is a collaboration between the Navy League of the United States Colorado Springs Council and many organizations. The Mile High Tailhook Association, the Rocky Mountain Navy CPO and PO Associations, active duty personnel representing local Navy elements and commands, the USS Colorado (SSN-788) Commissioning Committee, and businesses including O’Donnell & O’Donnell, Copy Experts, Dream Quest Photography, and Colorado’s Morning News on 850KOA are commended for their contributions to this special celebration. Next year’s Navy Ball is planned for October 15th, 2016.

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Ship’s Crest Design Finalized

20. October 2015 · Comments Off on Ship’s Crest Design Finalized · Categories: Ship's Crest

The winning entry in the Ship’s Crest Design Contest held earlier this year was LTJG Michael Nielsen of Arvada, Colorado who is now assigned to the crew of Colorado. Since reporting to the boat, he has worked with the command to make several enhancements to the design before it is finalized. The final Ships’s Crest design is shown below. Some of the modification from the original include:

  • The shape of the crest was made taller to make it more coin and patch friendly.
  • Inclusion of seven stars to signify the seven battle stars earned by the Battleship Colorado (BB 45) in World War II.
  • Modifying the Latin phrase to “Terra Marique Indomita” which means “By land and sea, untamed”. In this form the Latin implies that Colorado, or the “spirit” embodied by the name (the state, the vessel, the past vessels, the people), is untamed by either land or sea.
  • The submarine was updated to look more realistic and added in a slight wake around it to highlight the reflection as being water and give the appearance of ship movement.
  • Detail was improved in the mountains to improve realism.
  • The sun was given a stronger gradient to give it a better appearance of the sun resting on the horizon just over the mountains, this in order to emphasize the ties with the state’s natural beauty and the beauty of technological prowess that is USS Colorado.
USS Colorado Ship's Crest

USS Colorado Ship’s Crest

USS Illinois (SSN 786) Christening Ceremony

14. October 2015 · Comments Off on USS Illinois (SSN 786) Christening Ceremony · Categories: Other Boats

On Saturday October 10th, USS Illinois (SSN 786) was Christened at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, CT. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, is the Ship’s Sponsor and broke a bottle of sparkling wine on the sail of ILLINOIS to conclude the event. There were about 3,000 in attendance including several hundred from the state of Illinois on a beautiful New England fall day. Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus was the Principal Speaker with additional remarks from Congressional officials from Illinois, Connecticut and Rhode Island as well as the Governor of Illinois, Bruce Rauner.

USS Colorado will be the next boat to be Christened at Electric Boat which is expected sometime in late spring or early summer next year. The hull of COLORADO could be seen in the construction hall behind ILLINOIS.

Here are some pictures from the ceremony.

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Here is a short video of the bottle break.