The county’s top Navy official has accepted a Bath Iron Works warship into the fleet, “ensuring we can fight tonight and win tomorrow.”
Navy Secretary John Phelan commissioned the USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. in front of a crowd of 1,800.
The ceremony marks the official acceptance of a ship into the U.S. Navy fleet.
“This ship is not symbolic – it is combat power, and today she joins something bigger,” Phelan said. “The ship and her crew join the President’s Golden Fleet, the Fleet of the future, rebuilding American maritime dominance by putting more capable ships in the water, strengthening our industrial base, and ensuring we can fight tonight and win tomorrow.
“To be a superpower, one must be a seapower, and USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. represents exactly what that future looks like.”
The commissioning took place April 11 at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.
The warship bears the name of Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient, retired Col. Harvey C. Barnum Jr.
“This moment marks the transformation of this ship from steel into something living – a reflection of the spirit, dedication, and strength of the sailors who will carry her forward,” said Martha Hill, Barnum’s wife and the ship’s sponsor.
“Our strength is not built on technology alone, but on trust, trust that we will stand by one another and that no one will ever be left behind,” Col. Barnum said. “That belief shapes how sailors and marines fight, how they lead, and how they act when it matters most.”
“On Dec. 18, 1965, then-1st Lt. Barnum assumed command of his company after the commander was mortally wounded. With two armed helicopters under his control, he moved fearlessly through deadly fire to lead air attacks against enemy positions while directing a counterattack that helped secure key terrain. He later coordinated the evacuation of wounded personnel and continued the assault to achieve the battalion’s objective. He is among the few living namesakes to witness the commissioning of a ship bearing his name.” – U.S. Navy
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer bearing Barnum’s name was built in Bath, Maine.
U.S. Secretary of Navy Commissions Maine Destroyer As Representing “American Maritime Dominance”
By Ted Cohen
NORFOLK, Va. (April 11, 2026) – Sailors assigned to the Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124) man the rails during the commissioning ceremony of the warship in Norfolk, Virginia, April 11, 2026. The warship bears the name of a living Medal of Honor recipient, retired Col. Harvey C. “Barney” Barnum Jr. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Oliver McCain Vieira)
