In a ceremony at Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C., on July 28th, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced Arleigh-Burke class destroyer, DDG 124, will be named Harvey C. Barnum Jr. in honor of the retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel who received the Medal of Honor for valor during the Vietnam War.
Barnum also served as deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for reserve affairs and spoke at the ceremony.
“It is a great honor to name this ship in recognition of Col. Barnum,” said Mabus . “I have no doubt that all who serve aboard her will carry on the legacy of service and commitment exemplified by this Marine Corps hero.”
This is the sixth ship Mabus has named honoring a Medal of Honor recipient. Others have included John Finn (DDG 113), Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), Daniel Inouye (DDG 118), and Woody Williams (T-ESB 4).
Arleigh-Burke class destroyers conduct a variety of operations from peacetime presence and crisis response to sea control and power projection. DDG 124 will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and will contain a combination of offensive and defensive weapon systems designed to support maritime warfare, including integrated air and missile defense and vertical launch capabilities.
The ship will be constructed at Bath Iron Works, a division of General Dynamics in Maine and is expected to enter the Navy fleet in 2024. The ship will be 509 feet long, have a beam length of 59 feet and be capable of operating at speeds in excess of 30 knots.