USS Denver 2013 Reunion

USS Denver Association Annual Reunion
September 11-15 | Denver, Colorado
Accommodations:
Hilton Garden Inn – Denver Airport
16475 E. 4Oth Circle
Aurora, CO 80011
(303) 371-9393
denverairport.hgi.com
The hotel has complimentary 24/7 hotel shuttle from the Denver International
Airport. There is also free parking for those who will be driving. The hotel is
about 12 miles south of the Airport.
Our Friday and Saturday evening events will be at the hotel. We will have a USS
Denver Reunion Hospitality Room. The Hotel has an outstanding hot buffet
breakfast and is included in the room rate. There is a bar-lounge and restaurant
on the first floor. And there is a nearby mall area for shopping and other
restaurant destinations.
Amenities include an indoor pool and 24 hour fitness center. Free wifi. Free daily
newspapers. In room refrigerator, microwave and hair dryer. There are two
outdoor patios - one is the designated smoking area. There are fire-pits on the
patios.
Hotel Rates:
Wednesday and Thursday nights - $115
Friday and Saturday nights - $99
Your choice - two double beds or one king. Suites and adjoining rooms available.
Reservations:
Call (303) 371-9393 and ask for "Group Reservations" and the "USS DENVER
ASSOCIATION". You can also register online at denverairport.hgi.com. Enter in
arrival dates and under special rate code put "USSD". We have a block of rooms
reserved at these rates until August 28th. Please contact Jim Hyden once you have
registered to receive your pre-registration packet.
Reunion Activities:
Friday Afternoon
A trip to downtown Denver to see the CL-58's ships bell at City Hall. It was
recently uncrated by our local Navy League representatives. They also reported a
"goldmine" of other memorabilia that has been accumulating concerning both
ships since 1942. Evidently quite a bit on the LPD-9. We will get a chance to review
what is there and how we might incorporate this information into our website and
in a static display. Afterwards, we will visit the 16th St Mall – a City of Denver
“must visit” destination. We will travel together by bus.
Friday Evening
We will have a banquet at our Hotel with Denver Navy League Chapter President
Dan Puleio. Dan will introduce Matt Savage, Commander, USN, who will be our
banquet speaker. He will address current events in the Fleet.
CDR Matthew Savage is a native of Rockville, CT and 1991 graduate of RoseHulman Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Optics. He
enlisted in 1991 as a Machinist Mate and served in USS ATLANTA (SSN 712) prior
to being commissioned through Officer Candidate School in 1995. His first
division officer tour was in USS SANTA BARBARA (AE 28) as Communications
Officer and Navigator and deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch with
JOHN C STENNIS Battle Group in 1998. Following decommissioning of AE 28,
he was assigned to USS TICONDEROGA (CG 47) as CIC Officer and Auxiliaries
Officer during her Smart Ship conversion from 1999 to 2000. He served as Chief
Engineer in USS MCINERNEY (FFG 8) deploying to SOUTHCOM in 2001 and
2003. In 2003 he reported to USS THOMAS S. GATES (CG 51) as Chief Engineer
and completed a deployment to SOUTHCOM as Air Defense Commander for
RONALD REAGAN Strike Group and flagship for UNITAS PAC-04. He served as
Executive Officer in USS LABOON (DDG 58) from 2008 - 2009, deploying with
Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, and then in USS MOBILE BAY (CG 53) from
2009 – 2010, completing Aegis Cruiser Modernization and initial combat systems
qualifications testing. Ashore, he attended Naval Postgraduate School in 2005,
earning a Master of Science in Systems Engineering with distinction and
completed Joint Professional Military Education phase I. From 2010 to 2013, he
served as the Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command liaison officer to U.S.
Strategic Command at Offutt AFB, Nebraska. CDR Savage’s personal awards
include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal
with two gold stars, the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal with one gold
star, and various campaign and unit awards.
Saturday activities are still being planned, but we will be sending out regular
emails with updates. Please email Jim Hyden at [email protected] to make
sure you receive the updates.
Our effort this year is to strengthen our relationship with our friends in Denver,
Colorado. This includes the very active Navy League chapter there, as well as City
and State officials, to get all of them involved in the LPD-9 decommissioning and
a permanent display memorial in their City Hall. Other issues to cover will be the
ongoing administration of the Website and the Dots and Dashes Newsletter.
Election of officers and directors will be conducted.
During the reunion, we will be discussing the decommissioning of the LPD-9.
The latest official information was in a Department of the Navy release that LPD9 was on a list of ten ships to be inactivated in the next fiscal year. LPD-9 is to be
inactivated on September 30, 2014 and laid up “in retention” meaning she will be
available if needed probably the next ten years. We have not heard where the
“inactivation” ceremony will occur. We will plan for the 2014 Reunion around the
de-com. We received the letter below from Captain Lenox that we wanted to share
with you all:
I recently received your letter concerning USS Denver's decommissioning. I'm
glad to hear that there's such interest from so many who have served aboard this
remarkable ship throughout her life. Fortunately, there are still a few more
crewmembers to come. Denver is still on schedule to decom on time at the end of
FY 14. I won't even be her last CO. I'll make sure that the decom CO has your
information when he arrives in November. Just for planning, I believe the decom
will happen in Pearl Harbor vice back in CONUS.
Very Respectfully,
CAPT K. P. "Crash" Lenox
Commanding Officer
USS DENVER (LPD 9)