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.

Request Invitation to Commissioning Ceremony

16. June 2017 · Comments Off on Request Invitation to Commissioning Ceremony · Categories: News & Updates

We are opening up sign up for those interested in receiving an invitation to the Commissioning ceremony. This ceremony will occur at Naval Submarine Base in Groton, CT around 11:00 AM on Commissioning day, rain or shine. The commissioning ceremony is an official U. S. Navy event for which there is no admission fee, however, due to security reasons and limited seating, admission is by invitation only. The Navy will send out the invitations to the ceremony and you will need to respond to that invitation to receive your tickets to the event. There will be a reception on the pier immediately following for all attending the ceremony.

For our corporate sponsors, the Committee will be contacting you for your list of attendees. If you are a contributor at the Long’s Peak Level or above you will also receive invitations from the Commissioning Committee for other committee organized events. This will include the Chairman’s reception on Friday evening, and the Platform Briefing event on Saturday morning before the Commissioning ceremony. We will be reaching out to all in this group regarding these events.

Travel packages will be available through AAA once the date of the commissioning has been set.

Please visit this page to request invitation

Governor Signs USS Colorado Bill

14. June 2017 · Comments Off on Governor Signs USS Colorado Bill · Categories: Committee Event, Other Event

In ceremonies at the State Capitol on June 5th, Governor Hickenlooper signed Senate Bill 17-183, Support for USS Colorado Commissioning into law. The bill appropriates $100,000 to the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs to make grants for the purpose paying for expenses related to the commissioning of USS Colorado, promoting awareness of USS Colorado within the state; and to support the crew.

Twelve members of the committee and six sailors from the local Navy Recruiting District office were in attendance. One of the sailors, MMN1 Scott Gold, currently has orders to report to USS Colorado in September as a permanent member of the crew.

Those attending Included Sandie Bourassa, daughter of recently deceased WWII submarine Veteran Andy Palenchar. Andy was the sailor who pulled LTJG George H. W. Bush from the Pacific after the future President was shot down. Andy went on to serve as an officer in the Army, serving in Korea and two tours in Vietnam retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was an active participants in USS Colorado events here.

Also on display at the signing was the ship’s bell that will be on USS Colorado. The bell is a gift from the USS Colorado Battleship (BB45) Association to the submarine and cast by noted Colorado sculptor George Lundeen. The bell was rung in celebration upon the signing of the bill.

While this grant means that we have met our fundraising goal, we are still accepting donations. Money raised in excess of our obligations will go to a scholarship fund for crew’s families administered by the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation and will also help fund future crew visits to the state after commissioning.

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