Delaware holds change of command ceremony

GROTON, Connecticut – Cmdr. Jason Patton turned over command of the nuclear-powered fast attack submarine USS Delaware (SSN 791) to Cmdr. Judson Thomas in a traditional change-of-command ceremony held Friday, May 29, pierside at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut.

Capt. Phillip Castellano, commodore, Commander Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 12,presided over the ceremony while Rear Adm. Oliver Lewis, director, Strategic Integration, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, served as the guest speaker.

“It is an honor to be here today as leadership passes between two of the finest warriors in our submarine force,” Lewis said. “Today is about celebrating the immense triumphs of Delaware and marking a seamless handoff as her legacy grows. From the moment [Patton] took the conn in June 2024, he got straight to business; he set operational standards and dove bow-first into a relentless operational tempo, high-consequence deployment, and achieved unprecedented tactical milestones.”

Lewis highlighted many of the achievements Delaware accomplished during Patton’s tour, which included a six-month deployment, Operation Ice Camp 2026, the first theater recovery of a medium-sized unmanned undersea vehicle, and first-ever personnel stops in Akureyri, Iceland, and Nuuk, Greenland, amid many other accomplishments that culminated in Delaware earning a Navy Unit Commendation Medal.

“Delaware, you didn’t just rise to the occasion, you completely redefined what is possible,” Lewis said. “None of this happened by accident. [Cmdr. Patton], I know you will continue to shape the future of our force and guide future commanding officers as you bring your exceptional talents to your next role as the senior deputy at SUBRON 12.”

After commending Patton for an exceptional tour, Lewis congratulated Thomas in his new role and said he looks forward to watching him take Delaware and her crew to even greater heights.

“As we look ahead, I am fully confident this legacy of excellence will continue to build under Cmdr. Thomas,” Lewis said. “[Cmdr. Thomas], you come to this boat with an extraordinary reputation, a proven tactical mind, and the precise leadership experience required to command our Nation’s front-line capital assets. The Navy has handed you a finely tuned warship and a hardened, lethal crew. I know you will lead them with the same integrity, vision, and relentless drive that have defined your career.”

Patton, a Laramie, Wyoming, native and graduate of the University of New Mexico, took command of Delaware in July of 2024.

“When I first took command, I understood the responsibility in the technical sense: I understood the mission, the standards, and the accountability that comes with command at sea,” Patton said. “But what I could not fully understand until I lived it was how deeply connected I would become to this ship and this crew.”

Patton’s next duty station will be SUBRON 12 in Groton, Connecticut. His previous submarine tours include USS San Juan (SSN 751), USS Memphis (SSN 691), USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23), and USS Minnesota (SSN 783).

“A submarine is a unique thing,” Patton said. “To the outside world, it is steel, systems, sensors, weapons, and propulsion. But to those of us who have served aboard one, we know the truth: a submarine is alive because of its crew.”

Patton praised the crew for everything they accomplished during his time in command and thanked the crew’s families and the ombudsman for their support.

“As I prepare to leave command, I do so with a full heart,” Patton said. “I am grateful for the trust that was placed in me. I am humbled by the privilege of command and I am better for having served alongside the Sailors of USS Delaware.”

Thomas, a Fallon, Nevada native and graduate of the United States Naval Academy, previously served aboard the submarines USS Jacksonville (SSN 699), USS Key West (SSN 722), and USS Maine (SSBN 741) Blue Crew.

Thomas thanked Patton for setting the bar high and providing him with a “proficient, competitive, tested, and hungry” crew.

“To the men and women serving on Delaware, your reputation precedes you,” Thomas said. “I am humbled to be leading a crew full of professional mariners and lethal warfighters. Together we will continue to provide for America’s safety and strive to be worthy of the responsibility placed on our shoulders.”

Delaware, commissioned in April of 2020, is the seventh U.S. Navy ship named after the state of Delaware. The submarine, currently assigned to Submarine Squadron 12, has a crew of more than 130 personnel, is more than 377 feet long and can displace nearly 7,900 tons.

The Virginia-class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions. Fast-attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security and deterrence. They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare. Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise.