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.

USS Colorado FRG Blanket Sale

08. March 2019 · Comments Off on USS Colorado FRG Blanket Sale · Categories: Other Event

USS Colorado Family Readiness Group (FRG) is the group organized to support families of USS Colorado sailors, especially while the boat is deployed. They are raising funds to organize morale boosting events for crews and families. by selling special USS Colorado blankets. These high quality knit blankets are inscribed with the ship’s crest and are 53” wide by 71” long. The cost is $55.00 without personalization, or $60.00 with personalization up to 18 characters.

The last day for orders is April 1st

If you are in need of some warmth on these cold winter nights and would like to take this opportunity to support our namesake submarine you may order online with this Goggle Blanket Order Form . There is also a children’s blanket available.

Blanket Order Form

CBS4 Denver Profiles USS Colorado (SSN 788)

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

Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3

Commissioning Committee Establishes Scholarship

09. November 2018 · Comments Off on Commissioning Committee Establishes Scholarship · Categories: Committee Event, Other Event

The USS Colorado Commissioning Committee is proud to announce that we have established a $100,000 scholarship fund benefiting the crew and families of USS Colorado (SSN 788). This long-term goal of the Committee was made possible through the generous donations by citizens and companies of Colorado and others who contributed to their fundraising campaign. Each year two $ 2,000 scholarships may be awarded to crew members, former crew members or members of their families. The scholarship fund will be administered by the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation.

USS Colorado (SSN 788) is the 15th of the Virginia Class of attack submarines. She was commissioned in Groton, CT on March 17th, 2018. About 2,000 persons were present to witness this momentous event. The crew consists of about 120 enlisted and 14 officers who hail from all regions of the United States.

The Dolphin Scholarship Foundation was established in 1960 to assist children of the U.S. Submarine Force with college scholarships. Funds are raised through the financial support of submarine spouse organizations and the submarine community as well as support from individuals, corporations, memorial gifts and Combined Federal Campaign. 

The USS Colorado Commissioning Committee was founded in 2013 to generate support for the Commissioning and raise money to fund the traditional events surrounding that event. Part of the fundraising goal was to establish this scholarship fund. The Committee is in the process of creating a new organization to provide for long-term support of the crew and families for the duration of the planned 33-year lifespan of the boat.

The submarine Colorado is the fourth U.S. Navy vessel to bear the Colorado name.  The first USS Colorado (Screw Frigate) commissioned in 1858 was named after the Colorado River, the second USS Colorado (AC 7) was an armored cruiser commissioned in 1905, and the third USS Colorado (BB 45) was the lead ship of its class and was commissioned in 1923 and served with great distinction in World War II, earning seven battle stars for actions in the major campaigns of the Pacific theater. 

For more coverage of the scholarship fund see this Defense Visual Information Distribution Service Article

COLORADO Visits Kings Bay

06. November 2018 · Comments Off on COLORADO Visits Kings Bay · Categories: Boat Visit, Other Event

On the first weekend of November, USS Colorado (SSN 788) paid a port visit to King’s Bay, Georgia for some routine work. King’s Bay is the site of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, home port to several Ohio Class submarines. The visit coincided with the 30th annual Submarine Veterans of World War II Memorial held by the base. Commanding Officer, CDR Reed Koepp, and several of the crew were able to attend the ceremony. Over ten submarine veterans of the war were present and the principal speaker was retired Vice Admiral Al Konetzni who helped start the annual memorial when he was a Squadron Commander there in the ’80s.

Commissioning Committee Chairman, JJ Mackin, and his wife Florence were in King’s Bay for the Memorial and two submarine reunions. Since no Ohio Class were available for tours, COLORADO was the designated tour boat and hosted several hundred visitors on Thursday and Saturday. JJ and Florence were able to visit the boat to meet with the CO and meet the new Executive Officer, Matt Wolf, and new Chief of the Boat, “Chip” Alger.

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[Show slideshow]

COLORADO Gets New Chief of the Boat

06. November 2018 · Comments Off on COLORADO Gets New Chief of the Boat · Categories: Uncategorized

COLORADO has a new Chief of the Boat. ETVCM (SS) Freddie Richter completed his tour and was relieved by ETRCS (SS) Larry “Chip” Alger on October 12. It his been great working with COB Richter and wish him Congratulations on a great tour on COLORADO and wish him well on his new shore duty assignment on the Submarine Base. COB Alger comes to COLORADO from staff of Submarine Squadron Four, the boat’s parent squadron in Groton. We look forward to working with COB Alger as the boat becomes operational.

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