Denver (LPD 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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■rfriBlftl AMi) ■ , CMDCM (SW AW) A. S. Graham Command Master Chief USS DENVER (LPD-9) Graduating from Recruit Training Command, San Diego, Ca., in August 1979, Master Chief Graham attended Sonar Technician A school at Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center, Pacific. Upon graduation, he accepted orders to Pre-commissioning duty for USS Fletcher (DD-992). Master Chief Graham commissioned USS Fletcher (DD-992) in July 1980, home ported in San Diego, Ca. where he operated and maintained the AN SQS-53 Sonar System. After re-enlisting under the STAR program in 1981, Master Chief Graham attended Basic Electronics and Electricity followed by the AN SQS-53A operations and maintenance course of instruction. Master Chief Graham then attended MK 116 MOD ' S 1-4 Underwater Battery Fire Control System (UBFCS) operations and maintenance course of instruction with orders to USS Arkansas (CGN-41) home ported in Norfolk, Va. During this tour of duty, Master Chief served as maintenance group supervisor for the Sonar and Fire Control work centers, assistant Chief Master-At-Arms, departmental 3M coordinator. Nuclear Weapons handling supervisor, and Leading Petty Officer for CA division. Master Chief Graham then accepted orders for instructor duty to Combat Systems Technical Schools Command, Mare Island, Ca. where he earned a Master Training Specialist designation and instructed the operations and maintenance course of instruction for the MK 116 MOD ' S 5 6 8 9 UBFCS. In May of 1990, Master Chief Graham accepted orders to USS Valley Forge (CG-50) home ported in San Diego, Ca. where he served as Division Officer and Leading Chief Petty Officer for CA division. In July 1994, Master Chief Graham accepted orders to Mobile Technical Unit Five located in San Diego, Ca. In September 1994, Mobile Technical Unit Five was disestablished as part of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program and the Fleet Technical Support Center, Pacific, was established in its place. Master Chief Petty Officer Graham earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in Workforce Education Training and Development, Summa cum Laude, from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois in May 1997 In July 1997 Master Chief Graham accepted orders back to USS Valley Forge as the Weapons department and CA division Leading Chief Petty Officer. In February 2001, Master Chief Graham was hand picked by Commodore Phil Wisecup, Commander, Destroyer-Squadron 21, to serve on his staff where he served until accepting his current orders as Command Master Chief, USS Denver (LPD-9) in January 2003. Significant events of Master Chief Graham ' s career include combat operations during Operation Desert Shield Storm, Operation Enduring freedom, numerous deployments to the Arabian Gulf, Western and Eastern Pacific and Indian Oceans. Master Chief Graham is an honor graduate of Senior Enlisted Academy, Class 90, January-March 2000. Master Chief Graham obtained his Officer of the Deck (underway) qualification in USS Valley Forge. He has earned the Navy Marine Corp Commendation Medal (Two Awards), Navy Marine Corp Achievement Medal (Four Awards), Navy Good Conduct (Seven Awards), Navy Efficiency Battle E Award (Five Awards), National Defense Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, and Southwest Asia Campaign Medal

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LCDR K. E Boyle Executive Officer USS DENVER (LPD-9) Lieutenant Commander Boyle is a native of Cliicago, Illinois. He was commissioned into the US. Navy in December 1990 through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Command at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. Following completion of the Division Officer training course at the Surface Warfare Officer School in Newport, Rhode Island he reported to his first command aboard the USS SPARTANBURG COUNTY (LST 1192). During this tour he was assigned duties as Gunnery Officer, 01 Division Officer, and Auxiliaries and Electrical Officer. During this tour, he completed 2 deployments to the Mediterranean and was involved in operations in support of Operation Desert Storm. In June 1994, he reported to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. In September of 1996 he graduated with a Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree with a concentration in Material Studies. In June of 1997, he reported to USS PORTLAND (LSD37) as Operations Off icer. During this tour he made anorLer deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. Following this eighteen-month tour, in December 1999, Lieutenant Commander Boyle reported to Commander, Amphibious Squadron Seven as the Staff Material Officer. During his two years aboard he completed a Western Pacific deployment, including substantial operations in the 5th Fleet AOR. In December 2001, he reported to Commander Naval Readiness Command Midwest as Training Officer. He later fleeted up to serve as Director of Manpower, Personnel and Training for 26 Reserve Centers in a six state region. It was while in Great Lakes, where he earned a Masters in Business Administration from Websters University. He next accepted orders to serve on the staff of Commander Naval Reserve Forces Command in New Orleans to serve as the Program Manager for Recall Support where he directed the recall to active duty of several thousand Naval Reservists in direct support of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Finally, in April of 2004, LCDR Boyle reported to USS DENVER (LPD-9) as Executive Officer. Lieutenant Commander Boyle ' s Personal awards include the Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal (6 awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and numerous campaign and unit awards.

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Denver ' s History The first Denver, Cruiser Number 14 served from 1904 to 1933 in both Pacific and Atlantic fleets. Her primary action was as a convoy escort from 1917-1918 during World War I. The second Denver (CbSS), a light cruiser, saw action from 1942-1945. She participated in the bombardment of the Solomon Islands, the landing and group operation at new Georgia, the Treasury Bougainvillea Operation, took part in the Luzon Operation, the Manila Bay-Bicol Operation, the Consolidation of Southern Philippines, the Borneo Operations, and Third Fleet operations against Japan. Denver (Cb58) continued action until 1960 when she was decommissioned. USS DENVER (LPD-9) is the third ship of the fleet to bear this name. Denver ' s keel was laid 7 July 1964 at Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company, Seattle, Washington. She was launched!! 23 January 1965, christened by Mrs. John Love, wife of the Governor of Colorado, and commissioned 26 October 1968. James William Denver The names of Amphibious Transport Docks are d rawn from cities, which have been named after early explorers of the United States. Denver, Colorado is named after James William Denver. James W. Denver was born in 1817; taught school in Missouri and Kentucky, and practiced law in Ohio. During the war with Mexico in 1847, he recruited a company for the 12th U.S. Volunteer Infantry and was commissioned a Captain. In 1850 he traveled to California to engage in trading and was later elected State Senator in 1852. A year later he was appointed as the California Secretary of State. While holding that office, he was elected to the 34th Congress of the Special Committee on Pacific Railroads. At the close of his term in 1857, President James Buchanan appointed him Commissioner of Indian Affairs. In the autumn of 1857; he became Secretary of the Territory of Kansas, became Governor a year later, and retired in 1859. At the outbreak of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln commissioned him a Brigadier General of Volunteers. After the war, he opened a law office in Washington, D.C. In 1876 and 1884, his name was mentioned in connection with Democratic nomination for the Presidency He died in Washington, D.C. in August 1886. USS DENVER ' S motto, A Mile High... A Mile Ahead alludes to our strong and abiding ties to the city of Denver, Colorado.