Visiting Ships for the 238th Fourth of July Celebration

Starting in the early 1900’s, the U.S. Navy sends a ship to spend a week in Bristol during our Celebration. The Visiting Ships for the 238th Fourth of July Celebration are the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21) and the USCGC RAZORBILL (WPB 87332).

USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul

USCGC Razorbill

Below are the tour dates for the visiting ships. The USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul will be anchored off Hog Island and will only be accessible by water taxi which will be provided by the ship courtesy of the U.S. Navy. Passenger pick up and drop off will be at the Bristol Town Pier located at the Maritime Center south of Rockwell Park. The USCGC RAZORBILL AND USCGC WARREN DEYAMPERT will be moored to the Bristol Town Pier adjacent to the Maritime Center south of Rockwell Park.

USS Minneapolis

ARRIVAL: JUNE 29-30

TOUR DATES:
JULY 1

9:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.

JULY 2

9:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.

uscgC razorbill

ARRIVAL: JULY 1

TOUR DATES:
JULY 1
1:00 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.
JULY 2

9:00 A.M.- NOON.

usCGC warren deyampert

ARRIVAL: JULY 3

TOUR DATES:
JULY 4

10:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.

USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS21)

The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21) in Duluth, Minnesota, May 21, 2022. She is scheduled to visit Bristol during its 238th Independence Celebration. The ship will be in the Bristol area from June 30th to July 5, 2023.

The USS Minneapolis-St. Paul is a Freedom-class littoral combat ship built in Marinette, Wisconsin and named after the twin cities. The ship was launched and christened in June 2019 and presently resides in Mayport, FL. The ship is commanded by CDR Justin Neff, USN.

The USS Minneapolis-St. Paul is a state-of-the-art ship, designed for speed and shallow water near shore combat. The ship has a crew of approximately 125 sailors and displaces 3500 metric tons at full load; is 387’ in length, has a 58’beam and a draft of 13’. Her propulsion system boasts 2 Roll-Royce MT 30 36 MW gas turbines and has a range of 3500 nautical miles.

The ship has the capability of launching small boats and crafts, as well as airborne vessels like helot aircrafts and UAB aircrafts.

Speed and power is what the USS Minneapolis St. Paul is all about. No other ship in the Navy's fleet can stop or take off as fast as this one. Because of the ship’s size, she will need to anchor off the township of Bristol, and most likely be located near Hog Island which will provide spectators with a view of the ship from Bristol’s western shore.

Ship Tours

Ship Tours have been approved by the Commanding Officer. It is recommended that visitors be in relatively good physical condition since warships are not equipped to be handicapped accessible and some climbing may be necessary. Visitors must take a water taxi to/from the Bristol Town Pier near the Maritime Center at Rockwell Park to the ship and return. Tentative Ship Tour visiting hours are scheduled for TBD. STRICT SECURITY RULES WILL BE IN PLACE. Visitors will be required to show a photo ID. Minor children must be accompanied by an adult. Strollers cannot be accommodated on board the ship and children who would normally occupy strollers will have to be carried. Strict Department of the Navy regulations require that all purses and packages be searched. Visitors are strongly encouraged to lock these items in your vehicles since the security search will delay the tour process. There are limited or no handicap access points. All visitors are subjected to a metal detector search. If a visitor cannot be screened through a metal detector they will be screened using a pat-down procedure instead. Visitors are reminded to wear comfortable, protective footwear (no open toes, heels, or platform shoes). Parking in the area will be limited to on-street parking. Launches to the ship will board and discharge passengers at the Bristol Town Pier at the Maritime Center on Thames St, Bristol, RI.

Hattie Brown Award Recipients for the 238th Fourth of July Celebration

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CDR Justin M. Neff

Commander Neff is a native of Fishkill, New York and he enlisted in the Navy in September of 1996 as a Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Electrical) rising to the rank of First Class Petty Officer before he subsequently earned a commission through the Seaman To Admiral 21 program in May of 2006. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from Old Dominion University in May 2006.

At sea, CDR Neff’s assignments as a Division Officer were aboard USS PORTER (DDG 78) as the Navigator, Electrical Officer, Main Propulsion Officer and Gunnery Officer deploying twice in support of counter piracy operations off of the Horn Of Africa. He completed his Department Head tours as Chief Engineer aboard USS TRUXTUN (DDG 103) and USS ANZIO (CG 68) where he deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve.

Ashore, CDR Neff earned his Masters of Science in Computer Science and his JPME Phase I from the Naval Postgraduate School. He also served as a Seamanship, Navigation, Leadership and Engineering instructor and Class Officer for Officer Candidate School at Officer Training Command Newport. Upon completion of his Department Head tours, he served as a Project Officer, Engineering Assessor, and Senior Assessor at Engineering Assessments Atlantic. He then served as the Training and readiness Officer at Naval Surface Squadron FOURTEEN.

CDR Neff served as the Executive Officer aboard USS SIOUX CITY (LCS 11) Blue Crew where he deployed as part of the historic maiden Freedom variant LCS deployment to Sixth Fleet and Fifth Fleet prior to assuming command of USS MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL (LCS 21).

CDR Neff’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (6 awards), Navy Achievement Medal (5 awards), and various unit and service awards.

USCGC Razorbill (WPN87332)

The USCGC RAZORBILL (WPB 87332) is homeported at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. Launched in 2000, she is the 32nd hull of the Marine Protector Class cutters. The 87-foot Marine Protector class is an innovative, multi-mission class of vessel capable of performing search and rescue, law enforcement, fishery patrols, drug interdiction, illegal immigrant interdiction and homeland security duties up to 200 miles offshore. RAZORBILL’s primary area of responsibility includes the coastal and offshore waters from Boston, MA to Sandy Hook, NJ.

The Marine Protector class offers numerous improvements over the former 82-foot Point-class vessels, including improved seakeeping abilities, enhanced habitability, and compliance with current and projected environmental protection laws. The Marine Protector class also employs an innovative stern launch and recovery system using aluminum-hulled cutter boats propelled by inboard diesel-powered waterjets. The vastly larger pilothouse is equipped with an integrated bridge system, including an ECDIS (electronic chart display system), which interfaces with surface search radars used by U.S. warships.

The RAZORBILL has a crew of 11. The command cadre of the cutter is led by one commissioned officer and two Chief Petty Officers. The RAZORBILL is commanded by LT Tim Burns. The Executive Petty Officer is Chief Boatswain’s Mate Brian Dressler and the Engineer Petty Officer is Chief Machinery Technician Rob Ouellette.

Ship Tours

The ship will arrive at the Bristol Town Pier on the morning of July1st and depart on the afternoon of July 2, 2023. Ship tours are tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 1st from 1200 – 1730 (Noon to 5:30PM and on Sunday, July 2nd 0900 – 1200 (9 AM to Noon). STRICT SECURITY RULES WILL BE IN PLACE. Visitors will be required to show a photo ID. Minor children must be accompanied by an adult. Strollers cannot be accommodated on board the ship and children who would normally occupy strollers will have to be carried. Strict Department of the Navy regulations require that all purses and packages be searched. Visitors are strongly encouraged to lock these items in your vehicles since the security search will delay the tour process. There are limited or no handicap access points. Visitors are reminded to wear comfortable, protective footwear (no open toes, heels, or platform shoes). Parking in the area will be limited to on-street parking.

USCGC Warren Deyampert (WPC-1151)

TThe Coast Guard’s newest cutter, the Coast Guard Cutter Warren
Deyampert (WPC-1151), was commissioned at Coast Guard Base
Boston, March 30.

Chief Warrant Officer Lance DeFoggi, assumed command of the
cutter during a ceremony presided over by Vice Admiral Kevin
Lunday, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area commander. The Warren
Deyampert is the second of six Fast Response Cutters that will be
homeported in Boston, serving along the 1st Coast Guard District.

“This is truly a special moment in our lives and a milestone for our
family’s history that will be remembered for generations to come,”
said Pamela Jackson, a cousin of Deyampert, and the ship’s
sponsor “To the crew, congratulations on the commissioning of
the 51st Fast Response Cutter that will bear the name of my
cousin,Warren Deyampert. I am so honored to serve as the
sponsor andknow that this crew will always have a special place in
my heart.”

The Sentinel-class fast response cutter (FRC) is designed for multiple missions, including drug and migrant interdiction; ports, waterways and coastal security; fishery patrols; search and rescue; and national defense. The Coast Guard has ordered 65 FRCs to replace the 1980s-era Island-class 110-foot patrol boats. The FRCs feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment; over-the-horizon cutter boat deployment to reach vessels of interest; and improved habitability and seakeeping.

“Now, we are standing ready, to get underway to perform all of the missions we have been training for in the birthplace of the Coast Guard,” said DeFoggi. “We will strive to embody the words of our motto, ‘Gallantry during grave peril’, as what was written on Deyampert’s award citation”.

Born in Attalla, Alabama, the cutter’s namesake joined the Coast Guard at age 19, and served aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba during World War II, beginning in August, 1941. Deyampert’s primary role was within the food service rating, but he also served as one of the ship’s three rescue swimmers.

Following a torpedo attack on the U.S. Army transport ship Dorchester in North Atlantic waters on Feb. 3, 1943, Deyampert swam in absolute darkness to rescue survivors in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic. His efforts affected the rescue of more than 100 crewmembers, many of whom were hypothermic and unable to swim.

Four months later, June 13, 1943, the Escanaba sank, following an explosion onboard that was believed to be from a torpedo attack. All but two crewmembers were killed in the explosion. Deyampert was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Purple Heart Medal for his heroic rescue of the Dorchester crew

rtable, protective footwear (no open toes, heels, or platform shoes). Parking in the area will be limited to on-street parking.