U.S. Navy commissions DDG 124 guided-missile destroyer

The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest guided-missile destroyer, USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124), during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Approximately 1,800 guests attended the event, including senior military leaders, sailors, Marines, veterans, and family members, marking the formal entry of the Arleigh Burke-class warship into active service.

Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan served as the principal speaker, joined by Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James W. Kilby and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Eric M. Smith. Phelan drew a direct line between the ship’s namesake and the broader naval ambitions of the current administration. “This is the first vessel to bear the name of a Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient, and Col. Barnum’s actions in the Que Son Valley during Operation Harvest Moon defines what leadership looks like when everything is on the line,” Phelan said. “This ship is not symbolic, it is combat power, and today she joins something bigger. 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 followed traditional naval ceremony, featuring music from “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band as sailors manned the rails. The ship’s sponsor, Martha Hill — wife of Medal of Honor recipient Col. Harvey C. Barnum Jr. — issued the order to “man our ship and bring her to life,” prompting the crew to rush aboard to the sounds of applause and ceremonial cannon fire. Hill reflected on the significance of the moment: “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. You are now part of her story, and wherever she sails, you will represent the very best of our nation.”

DDG 124 is the first U.S. Navy vessel ever to bear the name of a Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient. The ship honors the combat record of Marine Corps Col. Harvey C. Barnum Jr., who on December 18, 1965, assumed command of his company in the field after his commander was mortally wounded during Operation Harvest Moon in the Que Son Valley. With two armed helicopters under his control, Barnum moved through intense enemy fire to direct air attacks on enemy positions, led a counterattack to secure key terrain, and coordinated the evacuation of wounded personnel before pressing the assault to achieve the battalion’s objective. He is among the rare living namesakes to witness the commissioning of a ship bearing his name. “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,” Barnum said at the ceremony. “That belief shapes how Sailors and Marines fight, how they lead, and how they act when it matters most. The crew of USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. now carries that responsibility forward.”

Commanding Officer Cmdr. Cantu, who will lead the ship’s crew in daily operations, underscored the weight that comes with the ship’s name. “Every Sailor who walks these deckplates will be reminded of what it means to serve with honor, lead with integrity, and defend our nation without hesitation,” Cantu said. “We accept the responsibility that comes with bearing Harvey C. Barnum Jr.’s name, and we will carry his legacy forward in everything we do.”

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the workhorses of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet — versatile, heavily armed warships designed to operate across the full spectrum of naval warfare. Each ship is equipped with the Aegis Combat System, one of the most advanced integrated air and missile defense architectures in the world, capable of simultaneously tracking and engaging multiple threats across air, surface, and subsurface environments. The class carries a mix of offensive and defensive weapons, including Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes, and surface-to-air missiles for fleet defense. Their combination of speed, endurance, and firepower makes them central to carrier strike group operations, ballistic missile defense missions, and independent surface action taskings.

Adm. Kilby addressed the strategic necessity of continuing to field ships of this class. “The need to build great warships like Harvey C. Barnum Jr. is as clear today as it ever has been,” he said. “Sailors on ships like Harvey C. Barnum Jr. are standing the watch, defending the homeland, and deterring aggression.” Gen. Smith added his own assessment of what the ship’s name demands of those who serve aboard her: “Col. Barnum represents the very best of our naval service, courage under fire, selfless sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to mission and to others. The crew of USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. carries forward that legacy, and with it, the warrior ethos required to deter aggression and win when it matters most.”

Following the formal commissioning, guests were invited aboard DDG 124 for tours of the vessel, giving civilian attendees and family members a firsthand look at the capabilities and crew of the Navy’s newest warship. The ship falls under the authority of Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, whose mission is to man, train, and equip surface combatants capable of controlling the sea and projecting power ashore.

USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. enters the fleet at a moment when the Navy is actively pressing its case for expanded surface combatant capacity. The commissioning of DDG 124 adds another capable multi-mission platform to a fleet operating under sustained global demand, from the Western Pacific to the Persian Gulf, where American destroyers have been engaged in active operations in recent weeks.