Welcome to the USS Denver

Greetings DENVER families and friends,

 

I am Captain Greg Fenton, the Commanding Officer of the Navy’s only forward-deployed Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD).  We are completing our first patrol since our shipyard availability and from my viewpoint, it has been incredible to see the professionally executed transition into the operational environment.

 

DENVER Sailors, embarked Marines, and embarked squadron detachments performed admirably during their recent patrol.  Executing missions across the amphibious spectrum, including Amphibious Assault Vehicle, helicopter, Landing Craft Air Cushioned, Landing Craft Utility, and Combat Rubber Raiding Craft operations, both tested and allowed the crew to demonstrate why DENVER is at the forefront of every evolution.  The ship and her crew’s performance is a complete testament to their efforts to ensure DENVER’s maintenance and operational readiness coming out of the shipyard availability. 

 

Most recently, DENVER was selected to participate in a disaster relief operation, a challenging core mission for our forward deployed naval forces.  With short notice and little time to prepare, again, DENVER Sailors and Marines forged an unbeatable team that overcame many logistical and technical challenges to provide relief to people in need of help.  That flexibility is inherent in USS DENVER – the ability to respond quickly and professionally to any of the challenges placed in front of her. 

 

Training and inspections are an integral part of any naval vessel, and DENVER is no exception to the rule.  Over the next month DENVER and her Sailors will demonstrate their skills and capabilities to a number of inspection teams.  Our Sailors have put in many hours preparing for these important evolutions, and we are well prepared to execute them. 

 

Nothing happens operationally without safety, both on the job and during off-duty time.  Please continue your efforts to ensure your personal safety as well as that of your Sailors.  Driving after drinking any amount of alcoholic beverages is not the right answer – if you go out for a fun time, make sure you leave your keys at home and use any one of the number of alternative transportation options available to you.  If you drove and then wound up drinking, do not drive your vehicle.  Call a friend, call the ship, or call a taxi – it is not worth the risk to you or anybody else you may encounter during your drive. 

 

As always, I thank you for your continued support for your Sailors and for our ship. 

 

Very Respectfully,

 

Greg Fenton

Captain

USS DENVER (LPD 9)