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.

11. February 2019 · Comments Off on CBS4 Denver Profiles USS Colorado (SSN 788) · Categories: News & Updates

During the week of February 4th, CBS4 Denver ran a series of stories about USS Colorado (SSN 788). Reporter Dominic Garcia and Photojournalist Rob McClure visited the boat in in December in Groton and interviewed several of the crew. The first episode focused on two sailors from Colorado who currently serve onboard, Petty Officer Paul Niswonger, who attended Heritage High School, and Lt. Quinlan Melvin, a graduate of Arapahoe High School and the Colorado School of Mines. Also interviewed was ETN1 Joseph Gaines, who participated in the first crew visit to Colorado in April 2015.

The second episode featured a WWII veteran of service on the third USS Colorado, BB45, Ernest Lowery who lives in Colorado. Ernest was wounded twice on the battleship during the campaigns in the Pacific. The story took him to the University Memorial Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder, which holds several artifacts from the battleship. The episode also showed a platform in the Control Room made from the teak decking of Battleship Colorado. This platform is where the Officer of the Deck stands his watch while underway submerged.

The third episode showed interior shots of the submarine, including the Colorado nature photography of John Fielder which decorates the crew’s mess, bringing a bit of Colorado to the otherwise stark interior. They interviewed the Commanding Officer and showed the papers with the signatures and good wishes from the people of Colorado that the Commissioning Committee gathered at the Capitol on Colorado Day last year, as well as talking about the heritage of previous USS Colorado’s.

CBS4 is planning a half-hour story about USS Colorado in April

10. March 2018 · Comments Off on Shout out to Colorado · Categories: Commissioning, News & Updates, Other Event, USS Colorado

Here is a shout out to the state of Colorado from the crew of our new namesake submarine!

05. March 2018 · Comments Off on Invitation Status Update · Categories: Commissioning, News & Updates

Several persons have emailed that they have not received their tickets. The Navy Commissioning Support Team, the organization  that is sending out the invitation and tickets, has provided the following update:

“There were some delays in sending out some of the tickets, but all of the invitation and ticket requests that we have received up to last Friday afternoon have been mailed.  I am confident that all folks that responded prior to last Friday will receive their tickets within the next couple of days.

 For any guest that does not receive their tickets prior to leaving for Groton, we ask that they let us know directly by emailing:

COLORADOREPLY@McKean-Defense.com.  We will work with them to determine if it is convenient for them to pick up their tickets at “will call”, if we should deliver tickets to their hotel, or if the tickets should be shipped by Federal Express.”

Other notes:

  • If you have requested a ticket you are on the list and will receive a ticket.
  • If you are Crew Family recall that the ship is handling your invitations. We are forwarding all family communications to them
  • If you have received an invitation, please RSVP per the instructions in your packet.
  • There has been some confusion for those that received invitations to the Chairman’s Reception and / or Platform Briefing as to how to RSVP. The address provided is a link to a web page and not an email address. Typing that address into your web browser will bring you to the right place.
02. March 2018 · Comments Off on Sign Up for Commissioning Invitations to Close Tonight · Categories: Commissioning, News & Updates

This evening at 10 PM Mountain Time requests for invitations to the Commissioning will close in order to allow sufficient time to get the tickets out before the event.

If you have already received your invitation and/or tickets, please be sure to RSVP per the instructions in your packet.

23. February 2018 · Comments Off on Merchandise Sales to End · Categories: News & Updates

We will be transferring our merchandise inventory to Groton on March 1st to have it in place at Commissioning. We are hoping to exhaust our merchandise inventory that week. If you are interested in placing an online order, please do so before February 28th. We do not currently have any plans to restock after Commissioning.