US Navy’s Newest Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer USS William Charette Christened At Bath Iron Works

The US Navy christened the future USS William Charette on Saturday at Bath Iron Works in Maine, moving the newest Arleigh Burke-class destroyer closer to joining the fleet.

Navy officials, state leaders and family members of Master Chief Hospital Corpsman William “Doc” Charette attended the ceremony to honour the Medal of Honor recipient whose name the destroyer carries.

The guided-missile destroyer is the latest completed ship built by Bath Iron Works and will become part of the US Navy’s fleet after completing the remaining steps before entering service.

Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said the destroyer would support US naval operations worldwide and help protect naval forces.

“This destroyer will be the shield of the fleet, protecting the carrier strike group from air and missile threats and holding sea lanes of communication open for maritime commerce,” Cao said during the ceremony.

The ship is named after William Charette, whose actions during the Korean War earned him the Medal of Honor, the highest military award in the United States.

In January 1953, while serving as a Navy corpsman in Panmunjom, South Korea, Charette treated wounded Marines as his unit came under attack. While caring for a Marine who was too badly injured to be evacuated, an enemy grenade landed nearby.

Charette used his own body to shield the wounded Marine from the blast. The explosion destroyed his medical kit, knocked off his helmet and left him unconscious.

After recovering, Charette continued providing medical care despite his injuries. He used pieces of his uniform as bandages after losing his medical supplies and gave his own body armour to another Marine after the Marine’s protective vest was destroyed.

Charette survived the attack and received the Congressional Medal of Honor less than a year later, Senator Angus King said during the ceremony.

His daughter, Kati Charette Donovan, said her father was remembered for his kindness and dedication to helping others.

“He was humble, kind and deeply devoted in helping others,” she said.

Navy Surgeon General Rear Adm. Darin Via said Charette’s actions reflected the values of Navy medicine.

“He did not run from danger. He ran toward it and saved lives,” Via said.

The christening also highlighted Bath Iron Works’ role in US naval shipbuilding. Company president Charles Krugh said thousands of Maine shipbuilders contributed to building the vessel and that production has become faster with each ship.

Cao said the USS William Charette would eventually join what he called the Navy’s “Golden Fleet,” referring to US warships currently operating in waters around Iran. He and Senator Susan Collins also pointed to other Bath-built destroyers, including USS Thomas Hudner, which have already deployed to the region.

Senators Collins and King visited Bath Iron Works in April, calling for uninterrupted Pentagon contracts to support the shipyard’s workforce of about 6,800 employees.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also visited the shipyard in February and called for more destroyer construction.

The USS William Charette will now continue through the final stages before commissioning and joining the US Navy fleet. Officials have not announced a deployment date for the destroyer.

References: wgme, newscentermaine