1912 for service in the Pacific. Pacific fleet On 19 July 1912, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Beekman Winthrop announced that on 30 July, Denver would depart Mare Island bound for the west coast of Mexico and its principal ports including Mazatlan and Acapulco before returning to Mare Island in what he termed "a friendly call." However, because of worsening political turmoil in Nicaragua that threatened American lives and property there, Denver was instead ordered to proceed from Santa Cruz, California to Mare Island to replenish stores for a trip to San Diego, where she was due 10 August, and after that, on to Central America. At San Diego, Denver's departure was delayed until 13 August due to engine repairs. Nicaragua 1912 Denver's arrival at Nicaragua was further delayed when she stopped on 17 August, to render assistance and attempted to tow off and later, refloat a merchant ship, S.S. Pleiades that had run aground off the coast of Mexico that day. Denver and her crew remained until 21 August; however, their efforts to dislodge the ship were unsuccessful. With the crew and passengers of Pleiades out of danger, Denver continued south to Nicaragua. For the next five years, Denver cruised the West Coast from San Francisco to the Panama Canal Zone, patrolling the coasts of Nicaragua and Mexico to investigate and prevent threats to the lives and property of Americans during political disturbances, carrying stores and mail, evacuating refugees, and continuing the schedule of exercises which kept her ready for action. Crew members serving on Denver between 29 July and 14 November 1912 qualified for award of the First Nicaraguan Campaign Medal. During the First Nicaraguan Campaign, Denver embarked multiple landing parties, the largest, a 120-man landing force under the command of Lieutenant Allen B. Reed landed at Corinto, Nicaragua, for duty ashore between 27 August and 26 October 1912 to secure the railway line running from Corinto to Managua and then south to Granada on the north shore of Lake Nicaragua. One officer and 24 men were landed from Denver at San Juan del Sur on the southern end of the Nicaraguan isthmus from 30 August to 6 September 1912, and from 11 to 27 September 1912 to protect the cable station, custom house and American interests. Denver remained at San Juan del Sur to relay wireless messages from the other navy ships to and from Washington until