The USS William Charette (DDG-130) is named for US Navy veteran and Korean War hero William R. Charette; four of his daughters were present at the ceremony.

The US Navy has honored career sailor Master Chief Hospital Corpsman William R. Charette (1932-2012), naming the fifth Arleigh Burke-class Flight III Aegis guided missile destroyer for the Korean War veteran and Medal of Honor recipient.

The future USS William Charette (DDG-130) was christened on August 1 at a ceremony at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The warship is the 43rd of the class of advanced destroyers to be built at the facility.

“When DDG-130, the future William Charette, joins the US 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 US Navy,” said Charles F. Krugh, president of General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, at the christening ceremony, which was attended by more than 1,500 of the company’s shipbuilders, their family members and distinguished guests. “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.”

In attendance at the ceremony were Maine Governor Janet Mills, Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, and retired Col. Harvey C. Barnum, who represented the Medal of Honor Society—himself the namesake of another Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, USS Harvey C. Barnum (DDG-124), which was delivered to the Navy last year. Four of Charette’s children were also present: Michael Charette, Margaret Ann Charette Henderson, Kathryn (Kati) Charette Donovan, and Laura Charette Bennett.

The keel of the future DDG-130 was laid in 2024. Following its christening, it will undergo outfitting and sea trials, scheduled to begin in late 2027 or early 2028 and last for three to six months. It is still unknown exactly when the warship will be formally commissioned into service.

In addition to the future USS William Charette, Bath Iron Works is now building at least four other Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers: the Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126), Quentin Walsh (DDG 132), John E. Kilmer (DDG 134), and Richard G. Lugar (DDG 136).

About the Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer

• Year Introduced: 1991
• Number Built: 74
• Length: 505- 510 ft (154–155.5 m), depending on variant
• Beam (Width): 66 ft (20.1 m)
• Displacement: 9,000 tons
• Engines: Four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines (26,250 bhp each)
• Top Speed: ~30 knots (35 mph, 55.5 km/h)
• Range: ~4,400 nmi (5,100 mi, 8,148 km)
• Armaments: 5-inch Mk 45 gun; Harpoon anti-ship missiles; Aegis Combat System; Mk 45 or 46 torpedoes; Tomahawk cruise missiles (96 VLS cells)
• Crew: 303-323, depending on variant

The Flight III destroyers are the fourth and most significant upgrades to the Arleigh Burke class. Each of the multipurpose warships is equipped with the SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar, the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system, and upgraded generators featuring a new 4,160-volt power grid to support the energy-intensive systems.

The SPY-6(V)1 is the most advanced radar system yet deployed on guided-missile destroyers. It was designed to provide enhanced threat detection and tracking capabilities for the US Navy’s surface combatants. It was developed by RTX subsidiary Raytheon, with support from the Navy and Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). The radar features four array faces, each outfitted with 37 radar modules. That allows for continuous, 360-degree situational awareness.

New Destroyer Named for Navy Hero in Korean War

To date, more than 350 US Navy ships have been named for Medal of Honor recipients. Of these, 55 are currently in active service, with a dozen more now under construction, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

Each and every one is truly an honor well deserved, and that certainly is true of DDG-130.

“While serving with a Marine rifle company during a fierce battle for Outpost Vegas on March 27, 1953, Charette repeatedly exposed himself to heavy enemy fire to aid wounded Marines,” the US Navy wrote in awarding Charette his Medal of Honor. An enemy grenade landed near him as he was treating a casualty. Instead of preserving his own safety, then Hospital Corpsman Third Class Charette responded by throwing his body over the wounded Marine, shielding him from the blast.

“Despite being knocked unconscious, suffering shrapnel wounds, and losing his medical kit, he awoke and continued treating casualties, tearing his own uniform to use as bandages,” the Navy wrote.

Charette remained in the US Navy for nearly another quarter century, retiring in April 1977 after 26 years of service. He died at his home in Florida at age 79 in March 2012.

It is fitting that an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer was named for Charette. In his remarks, Cao pointed out that Charette had helped protect his fellow sailors as a hospital corpsman—and the destroyer’s foremost duty was protecting other Navy vessels and the sailors aboard.

“Serving as the shield of the Fleet, protecting the Carrier Strike Group from air and missile threats and maintaining open sea lanes for maritime commerce—this premier surface combatant will be a cornerstone of America’s new Golden Fleet,” said Cao. “But this warship will carry more than just advanced technology; she will also set sail bearing the legacy of Master Chief Petty Officer William Charette, whose heroic actions represent the very best of our naval service. His spirit of self-sacrifice is now permanently woven into the steel of this warship, becoming a part of the ship’s culture and soul as she sails forth to defend our homeland.”

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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