USS MOUNT WHITNEY LCC 20 |
The 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; the keel was laid down on January 8, 1969; launched on January 8, 1970, and commissioned on January 16, 1971, at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va. Capt. Orlie G. Baird is the first CO. USS Mount Whitney will serve as a command ship for Amphibious Task Force Commander, Landing Force Commander and Air Control Group Commander during amphibious operations. Following outffiting, the Mount Whitney sailed to Guantanamo Bay OPAREA for six weeks of Sahekedown Cruise through April 16. The ship participated in a joint service exercise Exotic Dancer IV in May. After a Post Shakedown Availability (PSA) at Newport News Shipbuilding in July and August, LCC 20 departed for the Mediterranean to support NATO exercise Deep Furrow '71. February 23, 1972 The Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a three-week underway period in the Caribbean; Port calls to Port Everglades, Fla, (Feb. 25-26) and Guantanamo Bay (Feb. 28-29). Arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, for a brief visit on March 1. March 3, The amphibious command ship arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for a two-day port visit before participating in exercise FIREX, off Vieques Island. March 8, LCC 20 pulled into Charlote Amalie, St. Thomas, for a three-day visit to U.S. Virgin Islands; Returned home on March 15. May 11, USS Mount Whitney underway for Onslow Beach , N.C., to participate in a joint service exercise Exotic Dancer V. August 7, The Mount Whitney departd Norfolk for a Dependent's and Guests Day Cruise. August 29, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport for a two-month Northern Atlantic deployment. September 7, The amphibious command ship arrived in Plymouth, England, for a three-day port call. September 27, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Bergen, Norway, for a brief port visit after participating in a major NATO exercise Strong Express, in the Vaga Fjord from Sept. 14-26. September 29, The Mount Whitney pulled into Rosyth, Scotland, for a six-day port visit; Port calls to Amsterdam, Netherlands, (Oct. 6-10) and Bremerhaven, Germany, (Oct. 11-14); Returned to Norfolk on Oct. 24. January 5, 1973 Capt. Robert F. Dunn relieved Capt. Orlie G. Baird as commanding officer of the LCC 20. January 25, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a three-week underway period in the Caribbean to participate in exercise Agile Jouster; Port calls to Port Everglades (Jan. 27-31); San Juan, Puerto Rico, (Feb. 3-5) and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, (Feb. 10-11). From February 20-23, the amphibious command ship was underway for exercise Aloud Papa off Onslow Beach, North Carolina; Underway again for exercise Exotic Dancer VI, off Onslow Beach, from Feb. 27- March 6. May 17, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a seven-week Mediterranean deployment; Port call to Malaga, Spain, from May 26-29. June 4, The Mount Whitney arrived in Athens, Greece, for a three-day port visit before participating in exercise Dawn Patrol, off the coast of Sardinia; Port calls to Cannes, France, (June 16-19) and Barcelona, Spain, (June 20-23). July 13, LCC 20 departed homeport for a Dependent's and Guests Day Cruise. August 31, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a three-month Mediterranean deployment. September 14, The Mount Whitney anchored off the coast of Rhodes, Greece, for a three-day visit. September 30, The amphibous command ship arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, for a five-day port visit after supporting NATO exercise Deep Furrow '73 at Antalya from Sept. 20-29. From Oct. 8 through Nov. 20, the Mount Whitney participated in 6th Fleet contigency operations during the Middle East crisis. November 24, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, for a three-day port call; Returned home on Dec. 6. February 21, 1974 The Mount Whitney departed homeport for a four-week underway period in the Puerto Rican OPAREA; Port calls to Roosevelt Roads (March 1-6), St. Thomas (March 9-11) and Port Everglades (March 16-19); On March 12, the LCC 20 conducted missile firing exercise, testing its Basic Point Defense Missile System (BPDMS), first such event on board the LCC. June 21, Capt. Lowe H. Bibby, III relieved Capt. Robert F. Dunn as CO of USS Mount Whitney. July 13, The amphibious command ship entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for a six-month overhaul; In Dry Dock #5 from Aug. 3 through Nov. 11. February 7, 1975 USS Mount Whitney returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia; Underway for Refresher Training in Guantanamo Bay Op. Area on Feb. 26; Port visit to Montego Bay, Jamaica, from March 15-17 and Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, from March 29- April 2; Returned home on April 7. April 14, The Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a two-week underway to participate in exercise Agate Punch. From May 22 through June 3, the amphibious command ship was underway for exercises Aloud Yankee and Solid Shield. June 12, USS Mount Whitney entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., for a two-month overhaul; Returned to Norfolk on Aug. 20; Underway in the Virginia Capes Op. Area from Aug. 25-29. October 11, The Mount Whitney arrived at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to celebrate the Navy's 200th birthday. January 22, 1976 LCC 20 departed homeport for CARIBEX 2-76; Anchored off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Jan. 29. February 6, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Charlote Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands, for a port visit to St. Thomas; Returned home on Feb. 20. May 6, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk to participate in a two-week exercise Solid Shield '76; Underway again on June 7 as a unit of Task Force 200. June 12, Capt. Raymond M. Burris relieved Capt. Lowe H. Bibby, III as CO of the Mount Whitney during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship in Guantanamo Bay. June 16, The amphibious command ship arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for a two-day port visit; Port call to Port Everglades, Fla., from June 25-29. July 3, The Mount Whitney arrived in New York City for a four-day visit to celebrate the Independence Day; Returned home on July 8. September 3, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a two-month deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility. September 28, LCC 20 pulled into Amsterdam, Netherlands, for a three-day port visit after participating in exercise Teamwork '76. October 2, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Portsmouth, England, for a week-long port call before participating in exercise Bonded Item. October 18, The Mount Whitney arrived in Hamburg, Germany, for a scheduled port visit; Port call to Dublin, Ireland, from Oct. 27-28; Returned to homeport on Nov. 9. January 14, 1977 The amphibious command ship pulled into Naval Station Mayport for a three-day port call after a three-day sea trials; Returned home on Jan. 21; Underway from March 25-29 for exercise Aloud Foxtrot; Undereway from May 3-6 for exercise Aloud Golf. May 10, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk to participate in a two-week exercise Solid Shield '77. July 2, The Mount Whitney moored at Manhattan's Pier 88 in New York City for a three-day port visit. August 12, LCC 20 departed homeport to participate in a Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX) 5-77. August 18, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, for a brief port call; Returned home on Aug. 27. September 2, Capt. John J. Kingston relieved Capt. Raymond M. Burris as the 5th CO of Mount Whitney. September 9, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a three-month deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet AoR. October 10, The amphibious command ship arrived in Naples, Italy, for a four-day port visit after participating in exercise Display Determination. October 20, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Antwerpen, Belgium, for a four-day port call. October 28, The Mount Whitney arrived in Rotterdam, Netherlands, for a four-day port visit; Port call to Copenhagen, Denmark, from Nov. 5-14; Pulled again into Rotterdam on Nov. 19 for a three-day visit after participating in exercise Steady Progress; Returned to homeport on Dec. 2. February 6, 1978 USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk to participate in READEX 1-78; Port call to Fort Lauderdale from Feb. 11-14. February 17, LCC 20 arrived at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, for a three-day port call. March 1, The Mount Whitney pulled into Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles, for a three-day visit to Curacao; Returned home on March 8; Underway again from May 15-26 for exercise Solid Shield '78. July 13, The amphibious command ship departed Norfolk for a Dependent's Day Cruise; Underway for COMPUTEX/MSR from Aug. 1-12. August 23, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a two-month deployment to participate in NATO exercise Northern Wedding '78. Port calls to Rosyth, Scotland, (Sept. 19-23); Hamurg, Germany, (Sept. 24-27); Copenhagen, Denmark, (Sept. 29- Oct. 3); Portsmouth, England, (Oct. 5-9); Cherbourg, France, (Oct. 9-12) and Dublin, Ireland, (Oct. 13-17); Returned home on Oct. 30. January 15, 1979 The Mount Whitney underway in the VACAPES Operating Area for Type Training; Port call to Newport, R.I., from Jan. 20-26; Underway again on Feb. 16; Port call to New Orleans, La., from Feb. 20-28; Returned home on March 3. March 31, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Port Everglades, Fla., for a two-day port call in preparation for Mobile Sea Range (MSR) exercise COMPUTEX 79, in the Puerto Rican Op. Area, from April 2-14. May 31, USS Mount Whitney entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for a six-month overhaul; Returned to Naval Station Norfolk on Dec. 14. January 26, 1980 Capt. Vernon C. Smith relieved Capt. John J. Kingston as commanding officer of LCC 20. From February 24 through March 24, the amphibious command ship was underway in the Guantanamo Bay OPAREA for Refresher Training (REFTRA); Port call to Nassau, Bahamas, from March 24-27. July 22, The Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a 10-day underway period to participate in READEX 2-80. August 29, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a two-month deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AoR) to participate in exercise United Effort/Teamwork '80. Port calls to Wilhelmshaven, West Germany, (Sept. 24-30); Portsmouth, England, (Oct. 3-9) and Rotterdam, Netherlands, (Oct. 10-15). January 17, 1981 The amphibious command ship arrived in Newport, Rhode Island, for a six-day port visit to participate in Naval War College war games exercise. February 18, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk to participate in a two-week exercise READEX 1-81. March 13, LCC 20 pulled into Port Everglades, Fla., for a three-day port call. May 1, The Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk to participate in a two-week exercise Solid Shield '81. July 16, Vice Adm. James A. Lyons relieved Vice Adm. Thomas J. Bigley as Commander, U.S. Second Fleet, during a change-of-command ceremony aboard the LCC 20. July 19, The Mount Whitney departed homeport for a 10-day underway period to conduct Type Training; Port call to Boston, Mass., from July 24-27. August 20, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk to participate in exercises Ocean Venture/Ocean Safari and Magic Sword North/Magic Sword South. September 18, The amphibious command ship pulled into Lisbon, Portugal, for a week-long port visit; Port call to Halifax, Nova Scotia, from Oct. 2-6; Returned home on Oct. 7. October 10, Capt. David M. Bennett relieved Capt. Vernon C. Smith as the 7th CO of USS Mount Whitney. From November 9-25, LCC 20 was underway for exercise READEX 1-82; Port call to San Juan, Puerto Rico, from Nov. 12-16. January 22, 1982 USS Mount Whitney arrived in Newport, R.I., for a week-long port visit to participate in Naval War College war games exercise; Underway again on Feb. 8; Port calls to Nassau, Bahamas, from Feb. 8-11); Inport Port everglades, Fla., from Feb. 12-16; Port visit to New Orleans, La., from Feb. 18-24. April 10, The Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for COMPUTEX/MSR. Port calls to San Juan, P.R., (April 14-18); Roosevelt Roads (April 23-25); Bridgetown, Barbados, (April 25-30); St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, (May 1-4) and Willemstad, Curacao, (May 10-14); Returned home on May 18. June 17, The amphibious command ship arrived in New York City for a four-day port visit. August 23, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport for a two-month deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet AoR to participate in exercises United Effort and Northern Wedding. Port calls to Amsterdam, Netherlands, (Sept. 18-22); Portsmouth, England, (Sept. 23-30); Copenhagen, Denmark, (Oct. 2-7) and Oslo, Norway, (Oct. 8-12). January 15, 1983 LCC 20 arrived in Newport, R.I., for a six-day port visit to participate in a war games exercise Open Road. February 25, The Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for Operational Propulsion Plant Examination (OPPE)/PEB and READEX 1-83; Port visits to Ft. Lauderdale ( March 1-4); Nassau (March 5-8); St. Thomas (March 10-14) and San Juan (March 18-22); Returned home on April 1. April 22, Capt. Robert. C. Johnson, Jr., relieved Capt. David M. Bennett as commanding officer of the LCC 20. April 25, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk to participate in exercise Solid Shield '83; Underway again on May 27 for United Effort/Ocean Saffari; Port calls to Brest, France, (June 17-21); Plymouth, England, (22-26) and Hamburg, Germany, (June 28- July 5). July 15, The amphibious command ship returned to Norfolk after month-and-a-half underway period in the U.S. 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility. From August 23 through Sept. 15, the Mount Whitney was underway for READEX 2-83; Underway for a Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) assessment on Nov. 1. January 14, 1984 USS Mount Whitney arrived in Newport, R.I., for a six-day port visit to participate in exercise Established Contact. February 18, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport for a two-month deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet AoR to participate in exercise United Effort/Teamwork '84. March 26, LCC 20 arrived in Bergen, Norway, for a two-day port visit; Port call to Portsmouth, England, from March 30- April 6. April 9, The Mount Whitney pulled into Lisbon, Portugal, for a three-day port call; Returned to Norfolk on April 19. May 31, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Boston, Mass., for a four-day port visit. August 23, The amphibious command ship departed Norfolk to participate in a two-week exercise READEX 2-84. January 12, 1985 The Mount Whitney arrived in Newport, Rhode Island, for a six-day port visit to participate in exercise Open Road '85. March 1, Capt. Larry L. Lubbs relieved Capt. Robert. C. Johnson, Jr., as the 8th CO of USS Mount Whitney. From March 4-30, the ship was underway for READEX 1-85; Port calls to Ft. Lauderdale (March 7-8), Nassau (March 9-11) and St. Thomas (March 13-18). May 3, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport for a nine-day underway period to participate in exercise Solid Shield '85. May 31, The Mount Whitney entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a four-month overhaul; In Dry Dock #8 from June 13 through Sept. 9; Returned to Norfolk on Oct. 11. From Nov. 16 through Dec. 20, LCC 20 was underway for Refresher Training (REFTRA) in the Guantanamo Bay Op. Area. January 12, 1986 USS Mount Whitney arrived in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for a four-day port visit; Underway again from Feb. 10 through March 3 for FLEETEX 1-86; Port visit to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, from Feb. 22-28; Underway for FLEETEX 2-86 from April 11-26; Port call to Roosevelt Roads from April 14-15. July 4, The amphibious command ship moored at Pier 7 in Brooklyn, New York, for a three-day port visit to celebrate the Independence Day. August 17, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a two-month deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet AoR in support of Northern Wedding/Northern Engagement '86. September 20, The Mount Whitney pulled into Amsterdam, Netherlands, for a six-day por call; Departed Portsmouth, England, on Oct. 3; Returned home on Oct. 11. January 17, 1987 Capt. Laurence H. Turner, Jr., relieved Capt. Larry L. Lubbs as commanding officer of LCC 20. From February 13 through March 1, the amphibious command ship was underway for FLEETEX 1-87; Port call to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, from Feb. 18-23. May 1, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a nine-day underway period to participate in exercise Solid Shield '87. June 1, The Mount Whitney entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a two-month Phased Maintenance Availability (PMA); Returned to homeport on Aug. 10. August 31, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk to participatee in a multinational exercise Ocean Safari. September 22, The amphibious command ship pulled into Naval Base Devonport for a two-day visit to Plymouth, England. September 27, LCC 20 arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, for a three-day port visit; Returned home on Oct. 8. November 7, USS Mount Whitney commenced a two-month PMA Phase II, while pierside at Naval Station Norfolk. The work included the installation of two MK-15 Phalanx Close-In Weapons Systems (CIWS) on the Aft Sponson and forward deckhouse. From January 11-30, 1988, the 2nd Fleet flagship was underway for FLEETEX 1-88; Port call to Nassau, Bahamas, from Jan. 24-27. April 8, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk to participate in exercise Ocean Venture '88 in the Puerto Rican OPAREA; Port visit to Ft. Lauderdale from April 24-28; Underway from June 8-30 for FLEETEX 2-88; Port calls to Roosevelt Roads from June 15-17 and Willemstad, Curacao, from June 22-26. August 11, Vice Adm. Jerome L. Johnson relieved Vice Adm. Charles Larson as Commander, U.S. Second Fleet, during a change-of-command ceremony on board the LCC 20. August 19, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport for a Dependent's Day Cruise. August 26, The Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a two-month deployment in the 6th Fleet AoR in support of exercise Teamwork '88. Port calls to Kiel, Germany, (Sept. 24-26); Copenhagen (Sept. 27-30) and Portsmouth (Oct. 2-6); Returned home on Oct. 15; Underway again for FLEETEX 1-89 from Nov. 7-18. February 9, 1989 USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for FLEETEX 2-89; Capt. Morton W. Kenyon relieved Capt. Laurence H. Turner, Jr., as the 11th CO of the ship on Feb. 15. February 21, LCC 20 anchored off St. Marteen for a three-day visit to Netherlands Antilles. March 19, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Antwerpen, Belgium, for a four-day port visit after participating in NATO exercise North Star. April 3, The 2nd Fleet flagship returned to homeport after a nearly two-month underway period. From May 5-26, the Mount Whitney was underway for exercise Solid Shield '89; Port call to New York City from May 21-25; Underway for FLEETEX 4-89 from Aug. 23- Sept. 12; Port call to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, from Sept. 6-10. October 6, The amphibious command ship arrived in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for a five-day port call to participate in Fleet Appreciation Week. January 26, 1990 USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a 19-day underway period in support of FLEETEX 1-90, in the western Atlantic and Puerto Rican Op. Areas. February 20, USS Mount Whitney commenced a three-month Phased Maintenance Availability (PMA) while pierside at Naval Station Norfolk. May 4, Vice Adm. Michael P. Kalleres relieved Vice Adm. Jerome L. Johnson as Commander, U.S. Second Fleet, during a change-of-command ceremony on board the LCC 20. From June 8-19, the 2nd Fleet flagship was underway for FLEETEX 3-90; Underway for Limited Type Training in the Guantanamo Bay Op. Area from June 22- July 2; Port call to Kingston, Jamaica, from July 3-5. From October 4-12, the Mount Whitney participated in Broward County Navy Days and Fleet Week festivities at Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. November 1, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport for an 18-day underway period in support of FLEETEX 1-91/2-91. From March 8-19, 1991, the amphibious command ship was underway in the Virginia Capes Op. Area for Operational Propulsion Plant Examination (OPPE) preparations; Underway again for OPPE from March 25-29. April 3, Capt. David L. Brewer, III relieved Capt. Morton W. Kenyon as commanding officer of the Mount Whitney. June 6, USS Mount Whitney arrived in New York City for a four-day Fleet Week. July 12, LCC 20 departed Naval Station Norfolk for a four-week underway in support of FLEETEX 4-91; Port calls to Mayport, Fla., and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. From Sept. 1 through Oct. 9, USS Mount Whitney was underway for exercise North Star '91 in the northern Atlantic. Port call to Portsmouth, England. February 2, 1992 The 2nd Fleet flagship departed homeport for a 12-day underway in support of FLEETEX 2-92; Underway again on Feb. 26 to participate in exercise Teamwork. March 23, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Bergen, Norway, for a three-day port call; Arrived in Antwerpen, Belgium, on March 28 for a four-day port visit. April 4, LCC 20 arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, for a five-day port visit; Returned home on April 16. May 5, The Mount Whitney underway for a seven-day to participate in exercise Ocean Venture '92. June 27, Vice Adm. William J. Flanagan, Jr., relieved Vice Adm. Michael P. Kalleres as Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, during a ceremony on board the USS Mount Whitney. The amphibious command ship was underway for Type Training from July 24-28; Underway again for EMAT/Type Training in VACAPES Op. Area from Aug. 19- Sept. 3; Underway for FLEETEX 1-93 from Sept. 9-18. October 6, USS Mount Whitney entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a three-month Depot Phased Maintenance Availability (DPMA). December 5, Capt. Malcolm P. Branch relieved Capt. David L. Brewer, III as the 13th commanding officer of LCC 20. From January 15-26, 1993, the 2nd Fleet flagship was underway in support of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF). February 2, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for Fleet Exercise (FLEETEX) 2-93. February 28, The Mount Whitney arrived in Nassau, Bahamas, for a three-day port call after conducting Limited Type Training (LTT) in the Guantanamo Bay OPAREA. From May 4-21, the LCC 20 was underway in the Puerto Rican Op. Area in support of exercise Ocean Venture '93. June 10, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, for a three-day port visit; Underway from July 7-21 for FLEETEX 3-93. August 27, The Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a seven-week deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet AoR in support of exercise Solid Stance. Port calls to Stavanger, Norway, (Sept. 17-20); Kiel, Germany, (Sept. 20-24) and Cobh, Ireland, (Sept. 27- Oct. 5). The amphibious command ship was underway for Type Training from Nov. 2-5; Underway again for JTG 1-94 from Dec. 7-15. March 16, 1994 USS Mount Whitney pulled into Savannah, Ga., for a four-day port visit; Returned home on March 23 after a "Tiger Cruise" from Morehead City, N.C. April 8, The Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a two-week underway period to participate in FLEETEX 2-94; Underway again from April 25- May 6 in support of exercise Agile Provider '94. May 26, Capt. Gene R. Kendall relieved Capt. Malcolm P. Branch as CO of the Mount Whitney. June 7, The 2nd Fleet flagship arrived in Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, for a three-day port call to conduct school ship training with Surface Warfare Officer School (SWOS). July 12, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a five-week underway period in the Caribbean in support of Operation Support Democracy; Underway in support of Operation Uphold Democracy on Sept. 12; Remained at anchor for 37 days in Port-au-Prince Harbor, Haiti. Provided all C4I for CJTF 180 and CTF 185. Joint operational employment of the EHF satellite system was used for the first time; Returned home on Oct. 28. January 23, 1995 The Mount Whitney departed homeport for an 11-day underway period in support of JTFEX 95-2 for the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) BG. February 9, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a two-month deployment in support of exercise Strong Resolve '95. Port calls to Portsmouth, England, (Feb. 20-21); Trondheim, Norway, (Feb. 24- March 2); Stavanger, Norway, (March 3-8) and Portsmouth again from March 10-20. April 6, LCC 20 entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a three-month Planned Maintenance Availability (PMA). July 10, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a two-week underway period in support of JTFEX 95-3 for the USS America (CV 66) BG. August 19, Capt. Richard H. Enderly relieved Capt. Gene R. Kendall as the 15th CO of the Mount Whitney. December 4, The amphibious command and control ship underway for 12 days in support of JTFEX 96-1 for the USS George Washington (CVN 73) BG. May 1, 1996 USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a 16-day underway period in support of JTFEX 96-2 for the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) BG. August 15, The Mount Whitney departed homeport for a six-week underway period in the northern Atlantic. August 17, The 2nd Fleet flagship arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for a three-day port call. August 27, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Reykjavik, Iceland, for a three-day port visit before participating in exercise Northern Light/Bright Horizon '96. September 13, The Mount Whitney pulled into Portsmouth, England, for a five-day port call; Returned home on Sept. 29. October 11, LCC 20 departed Norfolk for an 11-day underway period in support of JTFEX 97-1 for the Roosevelt Battle Group. October 30, USS Mount Whitney entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a 16-week Planned Maintenance Availability (PMA). March 10, 1997 The 2nd Fleet flagship departed homeport for a 12-day underway period in support of JTFEX 97-2. April 12, The Mount Whitney pulled into Port Canaveral, Fla., for a six-day port visit. From June 9-27, the amphibious command and control ship was underway for a Tailored Shipboard Training Availabilty (TSTA) Phase I. July 30, Capt. James R. Poplar, III relieved Capt. Richard H. Enderly as commanding officer of USS Mount Whitney. August 18, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for an 18-day underway period in support of JTFEX 97-3; Underway for TSTA Phase I from Sept. 15-19; TSTA Phase II from Oct. 20-31. January 19, 1998 LCC 20 arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for an eight-day port visit; Port call to Naval Station Roosevelt Roads from Jan. 27-29. February 23, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk in support of exercise Strong Resolve '98 in the U.S. 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility. March 4, The 2nd Fleet flagship pulled into Lisbon, Portugal, for a four-day port call. March 21, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Naval Station Rota, Spain, for a four-day port call; Returned home on April 2. April 28, The Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a 13-day underway period in support of JTFEX 98-2; Port call to Miami, Fla., from May 7-9. May 19, USS Mount Whitney entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a four-month Drydocking Phased Maintenance Availability (DPMA). From Sept. 24 through Oct. 5, the amphibious command and control ship was underway in support of USS Enterprise Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX). November 2, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport for an 18-day TSTA; Port visit to Mayport from Nov. 11-16; Underway for TSTA II from Dec. 1-10. January 12, 1999 LCC 20 departed Norfolk for a Tailored Ship's Training Availability (TSTA) III and Final Evaluation Period (FEP); Underway for JTFEX 99-1 from Feb. 16-28. May 17, Capt. Martin E. Jenkins, II relieved Capt. James R. Poplar, III as the 17th CO of Mount Whitney. May 19, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for an extended Mediterranean deployment as flagship for Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet. June 1, The Mount Whitney arrived in Gaeta, Italy, for a three-week upkeep; Underway for sea trials from June 24-26; Port call to Valletta, Malta, from July 7-11. July 16, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Marseille, France, for a four-day port call; Port visits to Gaeta (July 22- Aug. 2); Villafranche, France, (Aug. 6-10); Barcelona (Aug. 13-17); Palma de Mallorca, Spain, (Aug. 19-24); Gaeta (Aug. 27- Sept. 15); Antalya, Turkey, (Sept. 17-21); Naples, Italy, (Sept. 24-26); Algiers, Algeria, (Sept. 28-29); Gaeta, Italy, (Oct. 1-8) and Rota, Spain, on Oct. 11. October 22, USS Mount Whitney returned to homeport after a Tiger Cruise from Morehead City, completing the five-month deployment. December 6, The 2nd Fleet flagship departed Norfolk for a nine-day underway period in support of JTFEX 00-1. March 27, 2000 The Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a three-day sea trials and Limited Type Training; Underway again from May 2-4 for sea trials. From May 13-30, USS Mount Whitney was underway for Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) 00-2; Port call to Ft. Lauderdale from May 21-24. June 27, The amphibious command and control ship departed homeport for an 18-day underway period; Port calls to Philadelphia, Pa., (June 28-30); New York City, N.Y., (July 2-9) and Halifax, Canada, (July 11-13); Underway for sea trials from Aug. 16-18 and Sept. 26-29. October 18, USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a nine-day underway period in support of JTFEX 01-1. November 10, LCC 20 arrived in Ke West, Fla., for a four-day port visit; Port call to Annapolis, Md., from Nov. 17-19; Underway for ISE/Crew Training from Dec. 5-7 and Jan. 9-11, 2001; Underway for Pre-INSURV inspection from Feb. 13-15. March 16, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport for a 17-day underway period in support of JTFEX 01-2; Port call to Nassau, Bahamas, from March 27-29. From May 7-17, the 2nd Fleet flagship was underway for Limited Type Training (LTT); Port call to Mayport, Fla., from May 11-13. June 28, The Mount Whitney arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, for a brief port visit; Underway for a Family Day Cruise on July 13. July 17, Capt. David W. Prothero relieved Capt. Martin E. Jenkins, II as commanding officer of LCC 20. From July 26-27, the ship was underway for Independent Steaming Exercise (ISE) and crew training; Underway for JTFEX 01-3 from Aug. 10-17; Underway for ISE/Crew Training from Sept. 18-20 and 25-27. October 10, The Mount Whitney commenced a Planned Maintenance Availability (PMA) at NORSHIPCO; Underway for sea trials from Dec. 17-19. January 18, 2002 USS Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a week-long underway in support of Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) 02-1. From February 9 through April 14, the Mount Whitney was underway in the U.S. 6th Fleet AoR in support of exercise Strong Resolve; Port calls to Kiel, Germany, (Feb. 24-27); Gdynia, Poland, (March 15-18); Copenhagen (March 19-22); Rotterdam (March 24-27); Cobh, Ireland, (March 29- April 1) and Lisbon, Portugal, (April 3-6). April 29, The amphibious command and control ship departed homeport in support of JTFEX 02-2; Underway for Initial Assessment (IA) from May 7-8; Underway for Crew Training from May 29-31, June 28- July 1 and July 18-19; Underway for Final Evaluation Phase (FEP) from July 22-24. July 26, The Mount Whitney departed Norfolk for a Family Day Cruise; Underway for sea trials from Aug. 28-29; Underway for Crew Training from Aug. 4-5, Sept. 18 and Sept. 20; Underway again for sea trials from Oct. 29-30. November 12, USS Mount Whitney departed Naval Station Norfolk for a scheduled deployment, to the Central Command AoR, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. November 13, The Mount Whitney embarked Commander, Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa at Morehaed City, N.C. November 24, LCC 20 arrived in Naval Station Rota, Spain, for a brief port visit; Port call to Valletta, Malta, from Dec. 1-4. December 9, For the first time ih her 32 years of naval service, USS Mount Whitney transited the Suez Canal. 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. June 13, USS Mount Whitney returned to homeport after a seven-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the ongoing war on terrorism. August 13, Capt. Christopher M. Wode relieved Capt. David W. Prothero as the 19th CO of the Mount Whitney. February 24, 2004 USS Mount Whitney returned to Naval Station Norfolk after a seven-month, $30 million worth, maintenance availability period at the Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Corporation (NORSHIPCO). 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, The Mount Whitney departed Halifax, Nova Scotia, afer a three-day port visit; Returned home on May 28; Underway for JTFEX 04-2 from June 11-22; Port call to New York City in July. August 31, The 2nd Fleet flagship departed Norfolk for a Friends and Family Day Cruise. October 1, Rear Adm. Mark P. Fitzgerald relieved Vice Adm. Gary Roughead as Commander, U.S. Second Fleet/NATO Striking Fleet Atlantic during a change-of-command ceremony on board the USS Mount Whitney. January 14, 2005 USS Mount Whitney (LCC/JCC 20) departed Norfolk en route to Gaeta, Italy, where it will serve as the U.S. 6th Fleet flagship. The amphibious command/joint 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 the Mount Whitney. January 26, The Mount Whitney pulled into Lisbon, Portugal, for a scheduled port call; Returned to Gaeta on Feb. 1. 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, LCC/JCC 20 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. Capt. Charles L. Wheeler is the new commanding officer. May 17, The Mount Whitney departed Gaeta 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. May 30, USS Mount Whitney recently departed Barcelona, Spain, after a brief port visit. September 28, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport to take part in Destined Glory (Loyal Midas) 2005, a multinational crisis response exercise from Sept. 29- 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 Tyrrhenian 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, USS Mount Whitney departed in early February to conduct Joint Task Force (JTF) training as part of the ongoing warfare certification process that will culminate this September during exercise Austere Challenge. April 26, Capt. Joseph W. Kuzmik relieved Capt. Charles L. Wheeler as the 21st CO of Mount Whitney. July 17, USS Mount Whitney departed Gaeta 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; Returned home on July 29. August 17, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport to assume authority for U.S. military support operations in the vicinity of Lebanon and the eastern Mediterranean effective. 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, The Mount Whitney pulled into Limasoll, Cyprus, for a port visit; Returned home on Sept. 9. 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. July 7, The Mount Whitney pulled into Koper, Slovenia, for a five-day port visit. September 10, USS Mount Whitney recently pulled into Marseille, France, for a scheduled port visit; Inport Valletta, Malta, from Sept. 14-17. September 18, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Souda Bay, Crete, for a brief port call. September 24, LCC/JCC 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 today in Constanta, Romania. 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; Arrived in Varna, Bulgaria, in late September. 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 25, The amphibious command/joint command ship arrived in Split, Croatia, for a four-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 Mount Whitneydeparted Souda Bay, Crete, after a four-day port visit. September 5, USS Mount Whitney moored in 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 underway for a routine patrol. November 8, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Varna, Bulgaria, to host the 2nd annual Black Sea Partnership Cruise, a multinational event designed to strengthen ongoing partnerships and increase interoperability among Black Sea nations, from Nov. 10-18. January 14, 2009 USS Mount Whitney departed Marseille, France, after commemorating the 100th anniversary of the "Great White Fleet;" Inport Toulon, France, from Jan 16-19. January 22, The Whitney recently arrived in Barcelona, Spain, for a scheduled port visit. 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 the 23rd CO of the Mount Whitney, during a change-of-command ceremony aboard the ship. LCC/JCC 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 from 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; Inport Kiel, Germany, from June 19-22. 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 routine training in the Mediterranean Sea; Inport Toulon, France, from March 12-16. April 30, The Mount Whitney departed Gaeta in support of annual joint Exercise Austere Challenge 2010 in the Mediterranean Sea. May 28, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Portsmouth, England, for a three-day port call. June 4, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Gdynia, Poland, to participate in multinational exercise BALTOPS 2010. June 18, The amphibious command/joint command ship arrived in Kiel, Germany, for Kiel Week 2010; Inport Ventspils, Latvia, from June 24-28. July 2, The Mount Whitney moored at Zeebrugge Naval Base to participate in the 30th Belgian Navy Days. July 16, USS Mount Whitney arrived at HMNB Devenport in Plymouth, England, to participate in a multinational humanitarian training Exercise FRUKUS 2010, July 19-25; Inport Brest, France, from July 29- Aug. 2. August 4, The 6th Fleet flagship arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, for a scheduled port call. August 12, Capt. Jeffrey S. Ruth relieved Capt. Karl O. Thomas as CO of the Mount Whitney during a change-of-command ceremony aboard the ship in Lisbon. August 28, USS Mount Whitney departed Amsterdam, Netherlands, after a three-day port visit. September 7, The amphibious command/joint command ship pulled into Rostock, Germany, for a scheduled port call. September 11, LCC/JCC 20 arrived in Klaipeda, Lithuania, to participate in the international Special Operations Forces Exercise Jackal Stone 2010, which will start on Sept. 13 in Lithuania and Poland. October 6, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Port of Tarragona for a three-day visit to Spain. October 11, The Mount Whitney returned to homeport after a "Tiger Cruise" completing the five-month deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AoR). December 2, The 6th Fleet flagship arrived in Split, Croatia, for a three-day port call. February 5, 2011 USS Mount Whitney pulled into Haifa, Israel, for a scheduled port visit. March 20, LCC/JCC 20 is currently acting as main command ship for Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn established to provide operational and tactical command and control of U.S. military forces supporting the international response to the unrest in Libya and enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973. March 24, The Whitney recently pulled into Augusta Bay, Italy, for a brief port call. May 5, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Dubrovnik, Croatia, for a four-day port visit. June 3, The amphibious command ship pulled into Kiel, Germany, for a scheduled port visit before participating in a multinational exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2011. June 17, USS Mount Whitney, along with USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), arrived again in Kiel for a Kiel Week celebration. July 6, Sailors and civil service mariners began maintenance on the Mount Whitney, just ahead of their scheduled Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) inspection next month. August 13, USS Mount Whitney anchored in the Bay of Theoule for a three-day visit to France to participate in the 67th anniversary of the liberation of Theoule-sur-Mer. September 7, Capt. Ted R. Williams relieved Capt. Jeffrey S. Ruth as CO of the Mount Whitney during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship in Gaeta. September 15, USS Mount Whitney moored at Viktor Lenac shipyard in Rijeka, Croatia, for a two-month maintenance availability; Entered the dry-dock on Sept. 28. November 9, LCC/JCC 20 moved from dry-dock to a Victor Lenac shipyard's pier. The work package included upgrading the Close-In Weapons System, replacing 26 tons of steel, inspecting and cleaning 82 tanks and voids, and a complete inspection and preservation of the ship’s hull. February 28, 2012 The Mount Whitney pulled into Souda Bay, Crete, Greece, for a routine port call. March 4, The 6th Fleet flagship pulled into Grand Harbor in Valletta, Malta, for a scheduled maintenance at Palumbo shipyards; Underway for sea trials on March 19; Returned home on March 30. June 25, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Rhodes, Greece, for a four-day port visit. August 14, The Mount Whitney anchored off the coast of Theoule-sur-Mer, France, for a five-day port visit to commemorate the 68th anniversary of allied troops landing in Provence during World War II. November 19, USS Mount Whitney anchored off the coast of Monte-Carlo for a two-day port visit to participate in the Monaco's National Day celebration. November 19, Vice Adm. Frank C. Pandolfe, Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, relieved of command Capt. Ted R. Williams due to a "loss of confidence in his ability to command stemming from allegations of misconduct." Capt. Craig A. Clapperton assumed command of the LCC/JCC 20. February 9, 2013 The amphibious command/joint command ship departed homeport for routine training; Brief stop in Augusta Bay, Siciliy, on Feb. 11. February 15, USS Mount Whitney arrived in Genoa, Italy, for a two-month overhaul at San Giorgio del Porto shipyard; Underway for sea trials from April 15-18. May 15, The Mount Whitney is currently underway for routine training. May 26, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Lisbon, Portugal, for a four-day port visit in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO. June 7, LCC/JCC 20 pulled into Ventspils, Latvia, for a three-day port call before participating in at-sea phase of the annual multinational maritime exercise BALTOPS 2013. June 21, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Kiel, Germany, for a four-day port visit to participate in annual Kiel Week maritime celebration; Returned home on July 3; Underway for a Friends and Family Day Cruise on Aug. 5. August 13, The Mount Whitney anchored off the coast of Theoule-sur-Mer, France, for a four-day port visit to commemorate the 69th anniversary of allied troops landing in Provence during World War II. October 2, The amphibious command/joint command ship is currently underway for routine training in the Tyrrhenian Sea. October 22, USS Mount Whitney, with embarked Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 Det. 1, departed Gaeta, Italy, for a routine patrol. October 29, The Mount Whitney arrived in Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Greece, for a routine port call; Transited the Bosporus Strait northbound on Nov. 4. November 5, USS Mount Whitney pulled into Burgas, Bulgaria, for a three-day port visit; Inport Batumi, Georgia, from Nov. 11-13. November 16, LCC/JCC 20 moored at Passenger Terminal in Constanta, Romania, for a three-day port visit, one day later than scheduled due to strong winds; Departed Black Sea on Nov. 20; Returned home on Nov. 2?. January 31, 2014 USS Mount Whitney departed homeport to provide maritime protection for the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia; Transited the Bosporus Strait northbound on Feb. 4. February 24, The Mount Whitney moored at Karakoy Pier in Istanbul, Turkey, for a three-day port visit; Returned to Gaeta, Italy, on March 3; Underway for routine training from March 18-20; Underway again on April 2?. April 28, USS Mount Whitney moored at Santa Apolonia Passenger Terminal in Lisbon, Portugal, for a four-day port visit; Anchored off Lisbon from May 2-5. May 6, The Mount Whitney commenced its participation in NATO exercise Trident Jaguar, off the coast of Menorca, Spain; Anchored off Mahon from May 9-11; Returned home on May 16. May 28, USS Mount Whitney recently departed Gaeta to participate in annual multinational exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2014; Transited the English Channel on June 2; Entered the Baltic Sea on June 4. June 5, LCC/JCC 20 anchored off Karlskrona, Sweden, for a three-day port visit before participating in at-sea phase of BALTOPS '14. June 20, USS Mount Whitney moored at Scheermole, Tirpitzhafen Naval Base in Kiel, Germany, for a six-day port visit to participate in annual Kiel Week celebration; Transited the Great Belt Strait northbound on June 27; Anchored off Zeebrugge, Belgium, on July 2. July 3, The Mount Whitney moored at Albert II dock North Container Terminal in Port of Zeebrugge for a four-day visit in conjunction with the 34th annual Belgian Navy Days. Returned home on July 15. July 17, Capt. Mark J. Columbo relieved Capt. Craig A. Clapperton as the 27th CO of Mount Whitney during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship in Gaeta. August 13, USS Mount Whitney anchored off Theoule-sur-Mer, France, for a four-day visit to commemorate the 70th anniversary of allied troops landing in Provence during World War II. The ship departed homeport on Aug. 12; Participated in a pass and review off the coast of Toulon on Aug. 15. September 10, Brodogradiliste Viktor Lenac D.D., Rijeka, Croatia, was awarded a $21,4 million for a six-month Extended Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (E-DSRA) of USS Mount Whitney. The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $29,7 million. Work is expected to be completed by July 2015. October 8, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport for a routine patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AoR). October 11, The amphibious command/joint command ship transited the Dardanelles Strait northbound en route to the Black Sea. October 14, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 10, Passenger Terminal in Batumi, Georgia, for a four-day port visit; Participated in bilateral underway engagement with the Georgian Coast Guard patrol ships on Oct. 18. October 20, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 4, Ro-Ro Terminal in Port of Constanta, Romania, for a three-day visit; Participated in a Passing Exercise (PASSEX) with the ROS Regele Ferdinand (F 221) and USS Cole (DDG 67) on Oct. 23. October 24, LCC/JCC 20 moored at Berth 2, East Terminal in Port of Burgas, Bulgaria, for a three-day port call. Transited Bosporus Strait southbound on Oct. 28; Returned to Gaeta, Italy, on Oct. 31. November 20, The 6th Fleet flagship departed homeport for routine training in the Tyrrhenian Sea. January 10, 2015 USS Mount Whitney departed Gaeta, Italy, en route to Rijeka, Croatia. January 11, The Mount Whitney moored at Fuel Pier in Augusta Bay, Italy, for a two-day port call to offload ammunition; Anchored off Rijeka on Jan. 14. January 15, USS Mount Whitney moored at Viktor Lenac shipyard for a six-month Extended Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (E-DSRA); Entered the floating dry-dock on Jan. 19; Undocked on April 30; Underway for sea trials from July 8-11. July 31, A fire started in the aft engine room aboard the Mount Whitney, around 21.30 local time, and was extinguished within 45 minutes by ship’s force and shipyard fire brigade personnel. There were no personnel injuries. September 28, USS Mount Whitney departed Rijeka after an extended nine-month availability; Transited the Strait of Otranto on Sept. 29; Inport Augusta Bay for ammo onload from Sept. 30- Oct. 1; Transited the Strait of Messina on Oct. 2; Returned to Gaeta on Oct. 3. October 6, Capt. Carlos A. Sardiello relieved Capt. Mark J. Columbo as CO of the Mount Whitney during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship. October 9, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport in support of NATO exercises; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar on Oct. 12; Transited the Irish Sea northbound on Oct. 16. From October 17-19, the 6th Fleet flagship was moored at Glen Mallan Jetty, Glen Douglas Munitions Depot in Loch Long, Scotland, to embark the VIP guests; Underway off the north coast of Ireland, in support of Maritime Theater Missile Defense (MTMD) Forum's At Sea Demonstration (ASD) 2015, from Oct. 19-20. October 21, The Mount Whitney moored again at Glen Mallan Jetty for a brief stop to disembark the MTMD Forum observers; Transited the Irish Sea southbound on Oct. 22. October 25, USS Mount Whitney arrived in the Gulf of Cadiz in support of exercise Trident Juncture 2015; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on Oct. 28; Transited westbound on Oct. 30. November 1, USS Mount Whitney moored at Passenger Terminal in Lisbon, Portugal, for a brief port call to embark the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO personnel; Underway south of Lisbon from Nov. 2-4; Inport Lisbon again from Nov. 4-9; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar on Nov. 10; Returned to Gaeta on Nov. 13; Underway again on Jan. 25.? January 26, 2016 The Mount Whitney moored at NATO Fuel Pier in Augusta Bay for a brief port call; Returned home on Jan. 29. February 22, USS Mount Whitney departed NATO Pol Pier for a routine patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet AoR; Transited the Strait of Messina southbound on Feb. 23. February 26, LCC/JCC 20 moored at West Quay in Port of Limassol, Cyprus, for a three-day port visit; Participated in a joint Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) on Feb. 29; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on March 2; Returned home on March 3; Underway again on March 8; Entered the Adriatic Sea on March 9. March 10, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 8, Viktor Lenac shipyard in Rijeka, Croatia, for a critical Command and Control, Computers, Communications, Combat Systems and Intelligence (C5I) repairs; Underway on April 8; Transited the Strait of Otranto on April 9. April 11, The Mount Whitney moored at NATO Fuel Pier in Augusta Bay for a brief port call to onload ammunition; Returned to Gaeta on April 13; Underway again on May 16. May 17, USS Mount Whitney moored to a buoy off the coast of Villefranche-sur-Mer, France, for a three-day liberty visit to Nice; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar on May 22. May 23, An MV-22B Osprey aircraft, assigned to the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, landed for the first time on board the Mount Whitney, while the ship was underway in the Gulf of Cadiz. May 24, The amphibious command/joint command ship moored at Alcantara Cruise Terminal in Lisbon, Portugal, for a two-day port call to embark the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO personnel; Transited the English Channel on May 28; Transited the Great Belt Strait southbound on May 30. June 2, USS Mount Whitney moored at Cruise Quay 24, Old City Harbour in Tallinn, Estonia, for a three-day port visit before participating in at-sea phase of an annual multinational exercise BALTOPS; Anchored off Ustka, Poland, for an overnight stop on June 15. June 17, USS Mount Whitney moored at northern Scheer-Mole, Tirpitzhafen Naval Base in Kiel, Germany, for a six-day port visit. June 25, The Mount Whitney moored at Strommen Buoy 1 off Stadsgarden in Stockholm, Sweden, for a four-day port visit. June 30, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 80, Passenger and Cargo Terminal in Port of Klaipeda, Lithuania, for a three-day visit; Moored at Bulk Terminal in Port of Riga, Latvia, from July 4-7. July 8, LCC/JCC 20 moored at Berth D, Quay E, Vuosaari Harbour in Port of Helsinki, Finland, for a three-day visit. July 12, USS Mount Whitney moored at Polish Quay in Port of Gdynia, Poland, for a three-day visit; Transited the Great Belt Strait northbound on July 16. July 16, The Mount Whitney moored at Berth 77, Ferry Terminal North in Port of Aarhus, Denmark, for a five-day visit; Transited the English Channel westbound on July 23; Arrived in the Gulf of Cadiz on July 26. July 27, The Mount Whitney conducted routine testing, while underway 10 n.m. southwest off Cadiz, Spain; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on July 28. July 30, USS Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta, Italy, following an 11-week patrol; Underway again on Aug. 13. August 14, USS Mount Whitney anchored off Theoule-sur-Mer, France, for a three-day visit to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of allied troops landing in Provence during World War II; Returned home on Aug. 19. August 29, Viktor Lenac Shipyard, Rijeka, Croatia, was awarded a $21 million contract for dry-docking and overhaul of the Mount Whitney. This contract includes 14 options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $31,9 million. Work is expected to be completed by July 2017. October 7, The Mount Whitney departed Gaeta for a routine Mediterranean patrol; Transited the Strait of Messina on Oct. 7; Transited the Dardanelles Strait northbound on Oct. 10. October 12, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 10, Passenger Terminal in Batumi, Georgia, for a three-day port visit; Moored at Passenger Terminal in Port of Constanta, Romania, from Oct. 17-20; Participated in a PASSEX with the ROS Contraamiral Eustatiu Sebastian (F264) on Oct. 20. October 20, LCC/JCC 20 moored at Berth 2, East Terminal in Port of Burgas, Bulgaria, for a two-day visit; Transited the Bosporus Strait southbound on Oct. 23; Moored at Cruise Terminal B in Port of Piraeus, Greece, from Oct. 24-25; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on Oct. 27; Returned home on Oct. 28. December 1, Capt. Kavon Hakimzadeh relieved Capt. Carlos A. Sardiello as CO of the Mount Whitney during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship at NATO Pol Pier. December 7, USS Mount Whitney departed Gaeta en route to Rijeka, Croatia, for a six-month availability; Moored at NATO Fuel Pier in Augusta Bay for ammo offload from Dec. 8-13; Transited the Strait of Otranto northbound on Dec. 13; Anchored off Rijeka for an overnight stop on Dec. 14; Moored at Berth 8, Viktor Lenac Shipyard on Dec. 15; Entered the floating dry-dock 11 on Dec. 19. May 1?, 2017 The Mount Whitney undocked and moored at Berth 8 on Viktor Lenac shipyard; Entered the dry-dock again on July ?; Undocked on Sept. 4; Underway for sea trials on Oct. 18; Brief stop off Rijeka on Oct. 19; Transited the Strait of Otranto southbound on Oct. 21; Moored at NATO Fuel Pier in Augusta Bay for ammo onload from Oct. 22-26; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on Oct. 26. October 27, USS Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta, Italy, following an extended 10-month overhaul; Underway again on Nov. 9; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar westbound on Nov. 12. November 12, The Mount Whitney moored at Pier 4 on Naval Station Rota, Spain, for a five-day port call; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on Nov. 17; Returned home on Nov. 21; Underway for routine training from Dec. 7-8. January 17, 2018 USS Mount Whitney departed Gaeta en route to Valletta, Malta; Transited the Strait of Messina southbound on Jan. 18. January 19, The Mount Whitney moored at Berth 1/2, Pinto Wharf in Port of Valletta for a three-day liberty visit; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on Jan. 22; Returned home on Jan. 23. January 25, Capt. George R. Aguilar relieved Capt. Kavon Hakimzadeh as the 30th CO of Mount Whitney during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship. February 5, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport for a four-day underway to conduct routine training; Underway again on Feb. 26. February 26, The Mount Whitney moored at Angioino Wharf South in Port of Naples, Italy, for a six-day visit. March 1, Vice Adm. Lisa M. Franchetti relieved Vice Adm. Christopher W. Grady as Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship. March 5, The amphibious command/joint command ship transited the Strait of Messina southbound. March 8, USS Mount Whitney moored at Central Terminal in Haifa, Israel, for a two-day port call in support of Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) exercise Juniper Cobra 18; Transited the Strait of Sicily westbound on March 13; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar westbound on March 16. March 17, LCC/JCC 20 moored at Berth 2, Pier 1 on Naval Station Rota, Spain, for a one-day port call to refuel. March 24, USS Mount Whitney arrived off the coast of Monrovia, Liberia, to participate in a multinational exercise Obangame Express 2018, which is sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM); Anchored off Libreville, Gabon, from March 28-30. April 5, The Mount Whitney moored at Berth 13, MBACKE Mole in Port of Dakar, Senegal, for a two-day visit; Moored at Berth 2, Pier 1 in Naval Station Rota from April 11-13. April 19, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 8 on Viktor Lenac shipyard in Rijeka, Croatia, for a 26-day maintenance availability; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar westbound on May 20. May 21, USS Mount Whitney moored at Alcantara Cruise Terminal in Lisbon, Portugal, for a three-day port visit to embark the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO personnel; Transited the Dover Strait northbound on May 27; Transited the Danish Straits on May 29. May 31, The Mount Whitney moored at Berth 82, Container Terminal in Port of Klaipeda, Lithuania, for the in-port phase of a multinational exercise BALTOPS 2018; Underway for at-sea phase on June 3. June 15, USS Mount Whitney moored at northern Scheer-Mole, Tirpitzhafen Naval Base in Kiel, Germany, for an extended 10-day port visit; Transited the Great Belt Strait northbound on June 25; Transited the Dover Strait southbound on June 27. June 28, The Mount Whitney transited approximately 5 n.m. off the coast of Vierville-sur-Mer, France, to commemorate the American troops landing at Omaha Beach during World War II; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on July 1; Transited the Strait of Sicily on July 3. July 4, LCC/JCC 20 conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201), while underway approximately 100 n.m. southeast of Augusta Bay, Sicily; Transited 6 n.m. south of Mykonos Island, Greece, on July 6; Transited the Dardanelles Strait northbound on July 7; Entered the Black Sea around 6.30 p.m. local time. July 9, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 15, Passenger Terminal in Port of Odessa, Ukraine, for the in-port phase of annual NATO exercise Sea Breeze; Underway for at-sea phase on July 11; Moored at Container Terminal, Quarantine Mole in Port of Odessa from July 13-18; Departed Black Sea on July 19. From July 21-23, the Mount Whitney conducted operations approximately 50 n.m. west of Crete; Moored at Themistokleous Pier in Port of Piraeus, Greece, from July 24-28; Conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO 195), while underway west of Crete, on July 29; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on July 30. August 1, USS Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta, Italy, following a five-month patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet AoR. August 12, The Mount Whitney departed homeport en route to France to commemorate the 74th anniversary of allied troops landing in Provence; Anchored off the coast of Theoule-sur-Mer from Aug. 13-17; Transited the Strait of Bonifacio eastbound on late Friday; Returned to Gaeta on Aug. 18; Underway again on Sept. 7. September 7, The Mount Whitney transited the Strait of Messina southbound on Friday evening; Transited the Kafireas Strait northbound on Sept. 9. September 10, USS Mount Whitney anchored 1 n.m. off the coast of Thessaloniki, Greece, for a scheduled port visit in conjunction with the 83rd Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF); Moored at Berth 21, Pier 5 in Port of Thessaloniki from Sept. 13-14. September 15, The amphibious command/joint command ship transited the Kafireas Strait southbound; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on Sept. 16; Returned home on Sept. 17. October 7, USS Mount Whitney departed Gaeta in support of NATO exercise Trident Juncture 2018; Transited the Strait of Bonifacio westbound, just before midnight, on Sunday; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar on Oct. 10. October 11, The Mount Whitney moored at Alcantara Cruise Terminal in Lisbon, Portugal, for an extended five-day port call to embark the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO personnel; Transited the Dover Strait northbound, just before midnight, on Oct. 18. October 25, USS Mount Whitney conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO 195), while underway in the North Sea; Arrived off the coast of Trondheim, Norway, on Oct. 27. November 3, USS Mount Whitney moored at Quay 31, ILa Pier in Trondheim, Norway, for a two-day port visit; Participated in a photo exercise (PHOTOEX) on Nov. 7; Moored at Quay 31 again on Wednesday evening; Departed Trondheim on Nov. 8. November 9, The Mount Whitney conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Leroy Grumman, while underway approximately 60 n.m. northwest of Bergen; Transited the Dover Strait southbound on early Monday; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on Nov. 15; Returned home on Nov. 18; Underway again on Dec. 8. December 9, USS Mount Whitney transited the Strait of Messina southbound on early Sunday; Transited northbound on Dec. 10; Returned home on Dec. 11; Underway again on Jan. 15. January 15, 2019 The Mount Whitney transited the Strait of Messina southbound, just before midnight; Transited the Strait of Otranto northbound, just before midnight, on Jan. 16; Anchored off Rijeka, Croatia, on Jan. 18. January 19, LCC/JCC 20 moored at Berth 8 on Viktor Lenac shipyard for a 45-day maintenance availability; Transited the Strait of Otranto southbound, just after midnight, on March 5. March 5, USS Mount Whitney conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS John Lenthall (T-AO 189), while underway approximately 50 n.m. southeast of Messina, Italy; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on late Tuesday evening; Returned to Gaeta on March 7. March 23, The Mount Whitney returned to homeport after a nine-day underway, off the coast of Naples, in support of exercise Obangame Express 2019; Underway again on April 15; Transited the Strait of Messina southbound, just after midnight, on April 16. April 16, The Mount Whitney moored at NATO Fuel Pier in Augusta Bay for a two-day ammo onload; Conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS John Lenthall, while underway off the east coast of Sicily, on April 18; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on Thursday afternoon; Returned home on April 19. April 24, Capt. Cassidy C. Norman relieved Capt. George R. Aguilar as CO of the Mount Whitney during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship. May 20, USS Mount Whitney departed Gaeta to participate in a multinational exercise BALTOPS 2019; Transited the Strait of Bonifacio westbound, just after midnight, on May 21; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar on May 23. May 27, The Mount Whitney transited approximately 3 n.m. off the coast of Barfleur, Normandy, for a Memorial Day commemoration; Transited the Dover Strait northbound, just before midnight, on May 27; Transited the Skagerrak Strait eastbound on May 30; Transited the Great Belt Strait southbound, just after midnight, on May 31. May 31, USS Mount Whitney moored at southern Tirpitz-Mole, Tirpitzhafen Naval Base in Kiel, Germany, for a scheduled port visit; Underway for at-sea phase of BALTOPS on June 9; Moored at northern Scheer-Mole, Tirpitzhafen Naval Base from June 20-26. June 29, USS Mount Whitney moored at Quay 32, Coal Terminal in Muuga Harbour, Maardu, Estonia, for a four-day liberty port visit to Tallinn. July 3, The Mount Whitney moored at the newly-constructed Hernesaari Cruise Quay LHD in Port of Helsinki, Finland, for a three-day liberty visit to celebrate the Independence Day; Moored at Berth 511, Vartahamnen Port in Stockholm, Sweden, from July 7-11. July 12, USS Mount Whitney transited the Great Belt Strait northbound on Friday evening; Transited the English Channel westbound from July 14-15; Moored at Berth 2/3, Pier 1 in Naval Station Rota, Spain, from July 19-26; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound, just before midnight, on July 26; Transited the Strait of Bonifacio on July 29. July 30, USS Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta, Italy, following a 71-day patrol; Underway again on Aug. 18. August 19, The Mount Whitney moored in Port of Palermo, Italy, for a two-day visit; Returned home on Aug. 23; Underway again on Oct. 16. October 17, The amphibious command/joint command ship transited the Strait of Bonifacio westbound; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar on Oct. 20. October 21, USS Mount Whitney moored at Alcantara Cruise Terminal in Lisbon, Portugal, for a four-day port visit to embark the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO personnel; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on Oct. 26; Transited the Strait of Bonifacio on Oct. 28; Returned home on Oct. 29. November 4, USS Mount Whitney departed Gaeta in support of exercise Trident Jupiter 2019 off the coast of Naples; Conducted operations off the east coast of Sardinia on Nov. 9; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar westbound on Nov. 12. November 13, LCC/JCC 20 moored at Alcantara Cruise Terminal in Lisbon, Portugal, for a three-day port visit to disembark the NATO personnel; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on Nov. 17; Transited the Strait of Bonifacio eastbound on Tuesday evening; Returned home on Nov. 21; Underway again on Jan. 18; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar westbound on Jan. 21. January 21, 2020 USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 3, Pier 1 on Naval Station Rota, Spain, for a four-day port call in support of the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) Component Commanders Conference (CCC); Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on Saturday evening; Transited the Strait of Bonifacio, just before midnight, on Jan. 27; Returned home on Jan. 28; Underway again on Feb. 6. February 8, The Mount Whitney transited the Strait of Messina southbound; Conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196), while underway off the east coast of Sicily, on Saturday afternoon. February 9, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 4/5, Pinto Wharf in Port of Valletta, Malta, for a three-day liberty port visit; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on late Wednesday evening; Returned to Gaeta on Feb. 13. May 18, USS Mount Whitney departed homeport for an annual Summer Patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet AoR. May 19, The Mount Whitney transited the Strait of Bonifacio westbound; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar on May 21; Entered the English Channel on May 25; Transited approximately 3 n.m. off the coast of Barfleur, Normandy, for a Memorial Day commemoration on May 26; Transited the Dover Strait northbound on Tuesday evening. May 27, USS Mount Whitney transited approximately 14 n.m. off the coast of Den Helder, Netherlands; Conducted operations approx. 100 n.m. north of Den Helder from May 28-30 and June 1-2. June 3, USS Mount Whitney transited the Skagerrak Strait eastbound en route to Baltic Sea to participate in a multinational exercise BALTOPS 2020; Transited the Great Belt Strait southbound, just after midnight, on June 4. June 4, The Mount Whitney moored at northern Scheer-Mole, Tirpitzhafen Naval Base in Kiel, Germany, for a one-day port call to refuel; Participated in a photo exercise (PHOTOEX), southeast of Fehmarn Island, on June 8. June 15, Capt. David M. Pollard relieved Capt. Cassidy C. Norman as the 32nd CO of Mount Whitney during a brief ceremony aboard the ship, while underway in the Baltic Sea. June 16, USS Mount Whitney conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Supply (T-AOE 6), while underway east of Bornholm Island; Transited the Great Belt Strait northbound on June 17; Transited the Skagerrak Strait westbound, just after midnight, on June 18; Transited the Dover Strait southbound on June 19; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on June 23; Transited the Strait of Sicily on June 26. June 28, The Mount Whitney moored at NATO Fuel Pier in Augusta Bay, Italy, for a two-day port call to offload ammunition; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on June 30; Returned home on July 1; Underway again on July 19. July 20, USS Mount Whitney moored at Dry Dock #4, San Giorgio del Porto shipyard in Port of Genoa, Italy, for a scheduled maintenance availability; "Out of water" from July 27- Nov. 13; Moved to Amico shipyard's pier on Dec. 6; Underway for sea trials on Dec. 15; Returned to Gaeta on Dec. 17. January 26, 2021 The Mount Whitney departed homeport en route to Augusta Bay, Sicily, for ammo onload; Transited the Strait of Messina southbound, just after midnight, on Jan. 27; Moored at NATO Fuel Pier from Jan. 27-28; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar westbound on Jan. 31. January 31, USS Mount Whitmey moored at Berth 2/3, Pier 1 in Naval Station Rota, on Sunday evening, for a six-day port call; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on Feb. 6; Transited the Strait of Bonifacio on Feb. 9; Returned to Gaeta on Feb. 11; Underway for flight deck certification from Feb. 22-23; Underway again on May 6. May 7, USS Mount Whitmey transited the Strait of Bonifacio westbound; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar on May 10; Moored at Berth 3, Pier 1 on Naval Station Rota, to embark the Joint Force Command Norfolk and U.S. 2nd Fleet staff members, from May 11-17. May 21; The Mount Whitney participated in a PHOTOEX with the USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) and NRP Alvares Cabral (F 331), while underway off the coast of Portugal in support of exercise Steadfast Defender 2021; Participated in a PHOTOEX with the HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) CSG and Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 1 and 2 ships on May 28; Transited the Dover Strait northbound, just after midnight, on May 31. June 1, USS Mount Whitney moored at Sondre Akershus Quay in Port of Oslo, Norway, for a four-day port call; Participated in a PHOTOEX with the HMS Albion (L14) and SNMG-1 ships as part of annual exercise BALTOPS, while underway in the Skagerrak Strait, on June 6; Conducted operations off the northwest coast of Denmark from June 7-9; Conducted operations in the Skagerrak Strait on June 10; Transited the Great Belt Strait southbound on June 11. June 17, USS Mount Whitney moored at northern Scheer-Mole, Tirpitzhafen Naval Base in Kiel, Germany, for a six-day port visit; Transited the Great Belt Strait northbound on June 23; Transited the Skagerrak Strait westbound on June 24; Transited the Dover Strait southbound on June 25; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on June 28; Transited the Strait of Bonifacio eastbound, just after midnight, on June 30. June 30, USS Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta, Italy, following an eight-week patrol; Underway again on July 27; Transited the Strait of Messina southbound, just after midnight, on July 28; Moored at NATO Fuel Pier in Augusta Bay for a brief stop to refuel on July 28; Transited the Strait of Otranto northbound on July 29. July 30, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 27 in Port of Split, Croatia, for a three-day visit; Transited the Strait of Otranto southbound, just before midnight, on Aug. 3; Transited the Strait of Sicily westbound on Thursday evening; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar on Aug. 8; Moored at Berth 3, Pier 1 on Naval Station Rota from Aug. 9-11; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound, just before midnight, on Aug. 11. August 14, The amphibious command/joint command ship transited the Strait of Sicily eastbound; Moored at NATO Fuel Pier in Augusta Bay from Aug. 15-16; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on Aug. 16; Returned home on Aug. 17; Underway again on Aug. 26. August 27, USS Mount Whitney moored at Ex Superbacino Pier on San Giorgio del Porto shipyard in Port of Genoa, Italy, for a scheduled maintenance availability. August 31, Capt. Daniel R. Prochazka relieved Capt. David M. Pollard as CO of the Mount Whitney during a brief ceremony on board the ship. October 14, USS Mount Whitney departed San Giorgio del Porto shipyard for sea trials; Moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta on Oct. 16; Underway again on Oct. 29; Transited the Strait of Messina southbound, just before midnight, on Oct. 29. October 31, The Mount Whitney conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS John Lenthall (T-AO 189), while underway southwest of Lesbos Island; Transited the Dardanelles Strait northbound on Nov. 1; Moored at Sarayburnu Wharf in Istanbul, Turkey, on Monday evening; Transited the Bosporus Strait northbound on Nov. 4. November 8, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 10, Passenger Terminal in Batumi, Georgia, for a two-day port visit; Moored at Passenger Berth in Port of Constanta, Romania, from Nov. 12-14; Transited the Bosporus Strait southbound on Nov. 15; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on Nov. 17; Returned home on Nov. 18. January 28, 2022 USS Mount Whitney departed Gaeta in support of NATO-led activity Neptune Strike; Transited the Strait of Messina southbound, just before midnight, on Jan. 28. February 2, USS Mount Whitney participated in a PHOTOEX with the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), USS San Jacinto (CG 56), USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), USS Gravely (DDG 107), ITS Cavour (CVH 550), ITS Andrea Doria (D 553), ITS Carlo Margottini (F 592), HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310) and TCG Goksu (F497), while underway in the Strait of Otranto, off the south coast of Albania. February 4, The Mount Whitney moored at NATO Fuel Pier in Augusta Bay, Sicily, for a one-day port call; Transited the Strait of Sicily westbound on Feb. 6; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar on Feb. 8; Moored at Berth 3, Pier 1 on Naval Station Rota from Feb. 10-13. February 22, USS Mount Whitney participated in a PHOTOEX with the USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) and ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi (C 551), while underway in the Gulf of Cadiz; Moored at Deep Water Berth in Port of Portland, England, from March 4-8; Transited the Dover Strait northbound on March 9; Conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201), while underway in the North Sea, on March 15. March 17, LCC 20 moored at Berth 205, Deepsea Terminal in Port of Zeebrugge, Belgium, for a four-day visit; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on March 24. March 27, USS Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta, Italy, following a two-month patrol; Underway again on April 1?. April 15, The Mount Whitney transited of Suez Canal southbound, escorted by USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), for maritime security operations as part of Combined Task Force (CTF) 153; Moored at Aqaba Naval Base, Jordan, from April 16-18; Conducted operations with the ENS Alexandria (F 911), while underway in the Red Sea, from April 19-21; Moored at Tanker Berth 11 in Port of Djibouti from April 24-26. April 30, USS Mount Whitney participated in a PHOTOEX with the USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS Gonzalez and HMS Montrose (F236), while underway in the Gulf of Aden; Participated in a PHOTOEX with the USS Gonzalez, ITS Carlo Bergamini (F 590), USNS Choctaw County (EPF 2) and RFA Lyme Bay (L3007) on May 1; Transited the Suez Canal northbound on May 8; Returned home on May 13. May 23, The Mount Whitney recently departed Gaeta to participate in annual multinational exercise BALTOPS 2022; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar westbound on May 25; Transited the Dover Strait northbound on May 29; Transited the Danish Straits southbound on May 31; Moored at Loudden Oil Port in Stockholm, Sweden, from June 2-8. June 10, The Mount Whitney conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Patuxent, while underway east of Bornholm Island; Moored at northern Scheer-Mole, Tirpitzhafen Naval Base in Kiel, Germany, from June 16-20; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on June 25; Transited the Strait of Sicily on June 27; Returned home on July 1; Underway again on July 31. August 1, USS Mount Whitney moored at Ex Superbacino Pier on San Giorgio del Porto shipyard in Port of Genoa, Italy, for a scheduled regular overhaul period (ROH); Entered the Dry Dock #4 on Aug. ?; Undocked and moored at Ex Superbacino Pier on Dec. 9; Underway for sea trials on Feb. 22. February 23, 2023 USS Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta, Italy; Underway again on April 1; Transited the Strait of Messina southbound on April 2; Moored at NATO Fuel Pier in Augusta Bay for ammo onload from April 3-5; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on late Wednesday evening; Returned home on April 6. April 11, Capt. Matthew J. Kiser relieved Capt. Daniel R. Prochazka as CO of the Mount Whitney during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship. May 14, USS Mount Whitney departed Gaeta to participate in annual multinational exercise BALTOPS 2023; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar westbound, in late evening, on May 17; Transited the Danish Straits southbound on May 28. June 1, USS Mount Whitney moored at Cruise Quay 25, Old City Harbour in Tallinn, Estonia, for the in-port phase of BALTOPS; Underway for at-sea phase on June 4; Conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Joshua Humphreys (T-AO 188) on June 8; Moored at northern Scheer-Mole, Tirpitzhafen Naval Base in Kiel, Germany, from June 14-20; Transited the Great Belt Strait northbound on June 20; Transited the Skagerrak Strait westbound on June 21. June 25, The Mount Whitney moored at Berth 1247/1248, Cruise Terminal in downtown Rotterdam, Netherlands, on Sunday evening, for a three-day liberty port visit; Moored at East Quay in Port of Malaga, Spain, from July 2-6; Returned home on July 16; Underway in support of Large Scale Exercise (LSE) 2023 on Aug. 8; Transited the Strait of Messina southbound on Aug. 9; Transited the Strait of Otranto northbound on Aug. 10. August 14, USS Mount Whitney participated in a PHOTOEX with the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), USS Normandy (CG 60) and HS Elli (F 450), while underway in the southern Adriatic Sea; Transited the Strait of Otranto southbound on Aug. 15; Transited the Dardanelles Strait northbound, just before midnight, on Aug. 17. August 18, USS Mount Whitney moored at Sarayburnu Wharf in Istanbul, Turkey, for a three-day port visit; Transited the Dardanelles Strait southbound, just before midnight, on Aug. 21; Transited the Strait of Messina northbound on Aug. 23. August 24, The Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta, Italy, following a 102-day patrol; Day-long underway for a Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) assessment on Sept. 18; Underway again on Sept. 29. October 4, The Mount Whitney participated in a PHOTOEX with the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS Normandy, ITS Cavour (C 550), ITS Caio Duilio (D 554) and ITS Virginio Fasan (F 591), while underway off the east coast of Sicily; Returned home on Oct. 5; Underway again on Oct. 18. November 3, USS Mount Whitney participated in a PHOTOEX with the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Gerald R. Ford, USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), USS Normandy, USS Mason (DDG 87), USS Gravely (DDG 107), ITS Virginio Fasan and ITS Carlo Margottini (F 592), while underway approx. 100 n.m. northwest of Alexandria, Egypt; Moored at Berth K14 in Souda Bay, Crete, on Nov. ?. November 30, USS Mount Whitney moored at South Quay, Container Terminal in Port of Larnaca, Cyprus, for a four-day liberty visit. December 8, USS Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta, Italy, following a 51-day patrol. March 6, 2024 USS Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier after a two-day underway for routine training; Underway again on April 7. April 7, The Mount Whitney moored at Berth 6/7, Angioino Cruise Terminal in Port of Naples, Italy, for a week-long visit in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of NATO Alliance; Brief underway off the coast of Naples on April 10; Returned home on April 15. May 14, USS Mount Whitney departed Gaeta to participate in annual multinational exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS); Moored at Berth 1, Pier 1 on Naval Station Rota, Spain, from May 18-22; Anchored off the coast of Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, in conjunction with the Memorial Day, from May 26-2?; Transited the Danish Straits southbound on June 1.? June 3, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 11, General Cargo Terminal in Port of Klaipeda, Lithuania, for the in-port phase of BALTOPS 2024; Underway for at-sea phase on June 7; Moored at Berth 18W, New West Port in Kalundborg, Denmark, from June 16-18; Transited the Great Belt Strait southbound on June 18. June 19, USS Mount Whitney moored at Scheer-Mole, Tirpitzhafen Naval Base in Kiel, Germany, for a six-day port visit; Transited the Great Belt Strait northbound on June 25; Transited the Skagerrak Strait westbound on June 26; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on June 30. July 1, USS Mount Whitney moored at East Quay in Port of Malaga, Spain, for a four-day liberty visit to celebrate the Independence Day; Moored at Pemonte Berth, Rinfuse Marghera Terminal in Port of Venice, Italy, from July 10-12; Moored at Taranto Naval Base, Italy, from July 15-17. July 20, USS Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta following a 67-day patrol; Underway for routine training from Aug. 16-18; Underway again on Sept. 19. September 19, USS Mount Whitney moored at Berth 6/7, Angioino Cruise Terminal in Port of Naples, Italy, for a two-day visit. September 20, Vice Adm. Jeffrey T. Anderson relieved Vice Adm. Thomas E. Ishee as Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet during a change-of-command ceremony on board the Mount Whitney. September 21, The Mount Whitney moored at NATO Pol Pier in Gaeta, Italy; Underway again on Nov. 15; Moored at Ex Superbacino Pier on San Giorgio del Porto shipyard in Port of Genoa, Italy, on Nov. 19. |