BIW christens its 36th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

Courtesy / Bath Iron Works Bath Iron Works christened the U.S. Navy's newest guided-missile destroyer, Thomas Hudner, on Saturday in a public ceremony at the Bath shipyard.

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By Staff

Bath Iron Works christened the U.S. Navy’s newest guided-missile destroyer, Thomas Hudner, on Saturday, marking a critical milestone in the construction of the 36th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer built at the Bath shipyard.

The keel for the destroyer — named for Capt. Thomas Hudner Jr., a hero of the Korean War — was laid on Nov. 16, 2015.

Speakers at the christening ceremony included U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, Reps. Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin and Allison Stiller, principal civilian deputy performing the duties of the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition.

Ship sponsors Georgea F. Hudner, wife of the ship’s namesake, and Barbara Joan Miller, wife of Vice Adm. Michael Miller, former superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, officially christened the ship by breaking bottles of sparkling win against its bow.

“Our sailors and Marines depend on the tools we give them to perform when put to the test,” said Dirk Lesko, president of General Dynamics BIW. “When the future USS Thomas Hudner goes to sea as part of the Navy fleet, it will do so with the fearless spirit of an American hero backed by the promise of Maine’s shipbuilders that ‘Bath Built is Best Built.’”

Hudner was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman on April 13, 1951, for displaying uncommon valor during an attack on his fellow airman, the first African American naval aviator, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, according to a release from Sen. King. During the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War, anti-aircraft fire hit Brown's aircraft, causing him to crash.

“After it became clear that Brown was seriously injured and unable to free himself, Hudner purposefully crashed his own aircraft to join Brown and provide aid. Hudner injured his own back during his crash landing, but he stayed with Brown until a rescue helicopter arrived. Hudner and the rescue pilot worked in the sub-zero, snow-laden area in an unsuccessful attempt to free Brown from the smoking wreckage,” King’s office stated.