BATH, Maine — General Dynamics Bath Iron Works christened the future USS William Charette (DDG 130) on Saturday, marking another milestone for the Maine shipyard and the U.S. Navy’s next generation of guided missile destroyers.
The ceremony, held in Bath Iron Works’ dry dock, celebrated the ship that will become the yard’s second Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and the 43rd destroyer of the class built in Bath. The vessel is named in honor of Master Chief Hospital Corpsman William Charette, a career Navy corpsman who received the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism during the Korean War.
Approximately 1,500 shipbuilders, family members and invited guests attended the christening.
Among those speaking at the event were Gov. Janet Mills, U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, retired Marine Col. Harvey C. Barnum representing the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Michael Charette, the son of the ship’s namesake, and Rear Adm. Matthew Case, the Acting Navy Surgeon General and Acting Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.
The ship’s sponsors — M. Ann Henderson, Kathryn (Kati) Charette Donovan and Laura Charette Bennett, the daughters of William Charette — carried out the traditional christening ceremony.
Bath Iron Works President Charles F. Krugh praised both the shipbuilders and the legacy of the vessel’s namesake, saying Charette’s courage continues to inspire the workforce responsible for building the Navy’s newest warships.
“When DDG 130, the future William Charette, joins the U.S. Fleet, it will sail with the motto ‘Valor in Service’—a fitting tribute to its namesake’s heroism in Korea and his two decades of commitment to the U.S. Navy,” Krugh said. “It will also sail with the promise that Bath Built is Best Built—when our Navy’s sailors take this ship into harm’s way to protect our country and our families, they deserve our best.”
The Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers feature upgraded radar and combat systems designed to enhance the Navy’s air and missile defense capabilities while continuing the multi-mission role that has made the destroyer class the backbone of the surface fleet.
Bath Iron Works continues to maintain a significant backlog of Navy work. In addition to the future USS William Charette, the shipyard is currently constructing the future USS Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126), USS Quentin Walsh (DDG 132), USS John E. Kilmer (DDG 134), USS Richard G. Lugar (DDG 136), USS J. William Middendorf (DDG 138), and USS Thomas G. Kelley (DDG 140).
The christening marks another major milestone for one of Maine’s largest employers as the shipyard continues production of the Navy’s next generation of guided missile destroyers.
