USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) is the first ship in the Navy to bear the name of the 14,946-foot peak in the Sierra-Nevada range in California, the highest point in the United States. She was constructed by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, and commissioned in 1971. As one of the Navy’s premier command and control platforms, she has served as the flagship of Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, and Commander, NATO Striking Fleet Atlantic since 1981. Despite this, the ship has also served as a flagship for other senior service commanders on occasion.

The ship deployed in 1994 to Haiti with Lt. Gen. Hugh Shelton, commander of the 18th Airborne Corps, in command of the Joint Task Force that conducted Operation Uphold Democracy.

In 1999, LCC 20 deployed to the Mediterranean as flagship for Commander, 6th Fleet, relieving the command ship USS La Salle (AGF 3).

November 12, 2002 USS Mount Whitney, commanded by Capt. David Prothero, departed Naval Station Norfolk for a scheduled deployment, to the Central Command area of responsibility, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

December 9, For the first time ih her 32 years of naval service, USS Mount Whitney trasited the Suez Chanel.

January 10, 2003 The Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) completed a two-day exercise with maritime forces from Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 in the Gulf of Aden Jan. 6. The two headquarters exercised operational staff procedures aboard LCC 20 and Spanish flagship Navarra. Also, the Mount Whitney, German frigate Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and German tanker Rhon served as maneuver and support elements throughout the training.

January 19, USS Mount Whitney celebrated its 32nd year of existence with a steel beach picnic at sea.

June 13, LCC 20 returned to homeport after serving as the flagship of Commander Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) during the seven-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the ongoing war on terrorism.

February 13, 2004 After a seven-month, $30 million maintenance availability period, at the Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Corporation (NORSHIPCO) shipyard in downtown Norfolk, USS Mount Whitney, commanded by Capt. Christopher M. Wode, pulled into its home berth at Naval Station Norfolk. The ship went through a huge series of upgrades and renovations besides the service diesel generator (SSDG) installation. Berthings were renovated. Old, worn-out decks were ripped up and new tiles were laid. Some spaces were totally remodeled. Piping systems which were not quite up to par were replaced. Many technological upgrades were made, as well.

May 17, USS Mount Whitney departed Halifax, Kanada, afer a four-day port visit. Visitors had the opportunity to visit historic sites, including the scenic fishing village, Peggy’s Cove, and the site of the Halifax explosion of 1917 that reportedly killed more than 2,000 people and destroyed nearly the entire north end of the city.

January 14, 2005 LCC 20 departed Norfolk en route to Gaeta, Italy, where she will serve as the U.S. 6th Fleet flagship. The amphibious command ship will now be forward-deployed in Europe, after 34 years being homeported in Norfolk as the 2nd Fleet flagship. The entire crew of Mount Whitney deployed to Gaeta. However, some will transfer to La Salle and return to the United States in place of La Salle crew members who chose to stay in Italy aboard Mount Whitney.

January 26, The Mount Whitney pulled to Lisbon, Portugal, for a scheduled port call.

February 1, The amphibious command/joint command ship LCC/JCC 20 returned to Gaeta, Italy.

February 25, Vice Adm. Harry Ulrich, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, transferred his flag from USS La Salle (AGF 3) to USS Mount Whitney in a ceremony aboard both ships. In preparation for its new role, she underwent a two-month shipyard period to upgrade automated electronics systems. Also, Mount Whitney’s size advantage over La Salle allows for enhanced command and control capabilities for U.S. 6th Fleet, as well as NATO forces in Europe. To improve efficiency and effectiveness, she is also embracing a new manning model. Down from 576 active-duty Sailors, ship’s company now includes a mix of 157 active-duty Navy and 146 civilian mariners, a change expected to save the Navy more than $100,000 annually, with the same or higher operational capabilities.

May 17, The 6th Fleet amphibious command ship departed Gaeta, Italy, to conduct certification exercises with NATO’s Joint Command Lisbon battle staff embarked. The two week exercise, Allied Action '05, is a command post exercise to practice the procedures for planning and mounting an operation based on the NATO Response Force (NRF) and Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) concepts.

June 2, The exercise Allied Action 2005 took place in the western Mediterranean Sea and involved 23 NATO nations and seven Partnership for Peace countries. Allied Action '05 was Mount Whitney’s first full-scale exercise since leaving Norfolk, Va., in January to become the command ship for JC Lisbon, U.S. 6th Fleet, and Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO. In addition to navigating through Allied Action 05, LCC/JCC 20 crew members and staff personnel also had the opportunity to spend a few days in Barcelona, Spain. Following the port visit, amphibious command/joint command ship conducted operations with the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Garibaldi, another participant in the exercise and visitor to Barcelona.

September 28, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport to take part in Destined Glory (Loyal Midas) 2005, a multinational crisis response exercise from Sept 29 to Oct. 14. Ten NATO countries will provide about 8,500 personnel, 39 ships and 60 aircraft for the sea, land and air exercise on the Italian island of Sardinia and in the adjacent waters of the Tyrrenian Sea.

January 15, 2006 LCC/JCC 20 arrived off the coast of Monrovia, Liberia, to help commemorate the presidental inauguration of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf on Jan 16. President Johnson-Sirleaf is the first woman to be elected as head of an African state.

February 9, As part of the continuing transformation of Commander, Naval Forces Europe/Commander, 6th Fleet (CNE-C6F) about 150 personnel left their shore-based headquarters in Italy wearing their proverbial battle staff hats and boarded USS Mount Whitney in early February to conduct Joint Task Force (JTF) training. The at-sea training is part of the ongoing warfare certification process that will culminate this September during exercise Austere Challenge. Working with U.S. European Command (EUCOM), U.S. Air Force Europe and U.S. Army Europe, the CNE-C6F staff is combining capabilities from the different services under the JTF umbrella to create an effect that is greater than the sum of the component parts.

August 17, USS Mount Whitney, commanded by Capt. Joseph W. Kuzmik, departed the Bay of Gaeta. U.S. European Command has been directed by the Department of Defense to assume authority for U.S. military support operations in the vicinity of Lebanon and the eastern Mediterranean effective Aug. 23. Joint Task Force Lebanon will continue to assist the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and will be postured to support humanitarian relief operations.

September 1, LCC 20 pulled to Limasoll, Cyprus, for a port visit.

September 9, The 6th Fleet amphibious command/joint command ship returned to homeport from operations supporting Joint Task Force Lebanon. Mount Whitney initially steamed out July 17 in support of the assisted departure of American citizens from Lebanon, just two days after returning from a six-week underway period to support exercise Steadfast Jaguar. The ship then returned home July 29, only to depart Gaeta once again Aug. 17.

May 12, 2007 USS Mount Whitney and the embarked joint staff are currently participating in exercise Flexible Leader 07. Flexible Leader is a joint exercise designed to conduct scenario-based training to increase the joint speed and cohesiveness when standing up a Joint Forces Maritime Component Command in direct support of Commander, Naval Forces Europe-Commander, Sixth Fleet strategic priority to respond to any contingency.

September 18, USS Mount Whitney pulled to Souda Bay, Crete, for a brief port call.

September 24, LCC 20 is making preparations to take on approximately 70 ship riders from six countries in the region of the Black and Caspian Seas for a five-day underway event starting in Constanta, Romania, Sept. 24. The Black Sea Partnership Cruise is part of the Maritime Partnership Program, a larger U.S. government team effort to enhance stability worldwide by promoting cooperation and maritime safety and security.

October 11, The Sixth Fleet flagship departed Istanbul, Turkey, after a three-day port visit and is currently hosting the embarked staff of U.S. Sixth Fleet while they undergo Joint Forces Maritime Component Command training. The crew is also preparing for Joint Task Force recertification during Austere Challenge 08, set to take place next summer.

March 6, 2008 USS Mount Whitney departed Portsmouth, England, after a three-day port visit, completing a NATO exercise.

March 29, The amphibious command ship departed Split, Croatia, afer a five-day port call.

May 17, LCC/JCC 20 arrived off the coast of Lebanon to support additional communication requirements for U.S. Navy ships.

September 1, The 6th Fleet amphibious command/joint command ship departed Souda Bay, Crete, after a four-day port visit.

September 5, USS Mount Whitney pulled in to port of Poti, still partially occupied by hundreds of Russian troops, to deliver more than 17 tons of humanitarian aid to the Republic of Georgia, in support of Operation Assured Delivery.

October 31, The Mount Whitney arrived in Constanta, Romania, for a scheduled port visit.

November 7, LCC/JCC 20 departed Sevastopol, Ukraine, after a brief port call. The amphibious command ship is currently on a regularly scheduled deployment.

November 8, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Varna, Bulgaria, to host the 2nd annual Black Sea Partnership Cruise, Nov. 10-18, a multinational event designed to strengthen ongoing partnerships and increase interoperability among Black Sea nations.

January 14, 2009 USS Mount Whitney departed Marseille, France, after commemorating the 100th anniversary of the "Great White Fleet."

February 1, The 6th Fleet flagship is currently underway in the Mediterranean Sea in support of Austere Challenge 2009, a joint evolution designed to exercise U.S. capability across the full range of military operations in the European theater.

April 17, Capt. Karl O. Thomas relieved Capt. Owen P. Honors as CO of the Mount Whitney, during a change-of-command ceremony aboard the ship. LCC 20 will participate in a two-week exercise Phoenix Express 2009, starting April 22.

May 28, In transit to the annual Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) exercise in the Baltic Sea, June 8-19, USS Mount Whitney visited the waters off the coast of Normandy, May 23-26, to celebrate the historical significance of the Battles of Midway and Normandy.

June 3, The amphibious command/joint command ship departed Klaipeda, Lthuania, after a three-day port call.

July 4, USS Mount Whitney returned to Gaeta after a "tiger cruise" from Rota, Spain.

February 1, 2010 The 6th Fleet flagship departed homeport to conduct scheduled training in the Mediterranean Sea.