The USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. is named for a Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War—and the 85-year-old Barnum was present at the commissioning ceremony.

The United States Navy commissioned its newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday. The USS Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. (DDG-124) is the first warship named to honor the Medal of Honor recipient and Vietnam War veteran.

DDG-124 is one of the final Flight IIA Technology Insertion Aegis guided-missile destroyers built for the US Navy, as the construction efforts shift to the Flight III models. A total of nine Flight IIA TIs were built, featuring increased vertical launch system (VLS) capacity, improved littoral warfare, and enhanced mine avoidance.

As previously reported, the Flight IIA TI variants serve as a transition between the original Flight IIA warships and the newer Flight III models, with the latter being unique for integrating the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR).

The Flight IIA guided-missile destroyers, which are outfitted with the Aegis Baseline 9, which provides Integrated Air and Missile Defense capabilities, continue to serve as a multi-mission surface combatant and, like other Arleigh Burke-class warships, can be employed in anti-air warfare (AAW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) roles.

The Arleigh Burke Flight IIA Destroyers’ Specifications

• Year Introduced: 1994
• Number Built: 37
• Length: 509.5 ft (155.3 m)
• Beam (Width): 66 ft (20 m)
• Displacement: 9,500 long tons (9,700 metric tons)
• Engines: Four (4) General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbine engines
• Top Speed: 30 knots (55.6 km/h)
• Range: 4,400 nautical miles (5,063 mi, 8,149 km)
• Armaments: Mk 45 5-inch gun; Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS; Mk 38 25mm machine gun systems; Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS), capable of firing:
  • BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile
  • RIM-66M, RIM-156, and RIM-174A Standard Missiles (surface-to-air and anti-ballistic missile versions)
  • RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM)
  • RUM-139 Vertical Launch ASROC (VLA)
    Guns: 
• Crew: ~329, including officers and sailors

Honoring Vietnam Vet and MoH Winner Harvey C. Barnum, Jr.

Col. Harvey C. Barnum, Jr., who is now 85, was among the honored guests at Saturday’s commissioning ceremony. Also in attendance was Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan, who served as the ceremony’s principal speaker, joined by Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James W. Kilby and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Eric M. Smith.

Secretary Phelan praised Col. Barnum and the heroism he showed in the service of the country.

“Col Barnum’s actions in the Que Son Valley during Operation Harvest Moon define what leadership looks like when everything is on the line,” said Phelan. “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.”

Gen. Smith further commended Barnum and said that he will be a model for the future crew.

“Col. Barnum represents the very best of our naval service, courage under fire, selfless sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to mission and to others,” said Smith. “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.”

Since the destroyer’s keel laying ceremony in 2021, Col. Barnum and his wife, Martha Hill, have maintained a close relationship with the crew.

“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,” said Hill during the ceremony. “You are now part of her story, and wherever she sails, you will represent the very best of our nation.”

Col. Barnum also spoke at the commissioning, telling the crew, “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. 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.”

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society (CMOHS) website documented Barnum’s Medal of Honor Action Date, which occurred 60 years ago this month, on December 18, 1965, outside the village of Ky Phu, Quang Tin Province, in the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). After his rifle company commander was mortally wounded, then-First Lieutenant Barnum took charge of the unit and rallied the troops.

“His sound and swift decisions and his obvious calm served to stabilize the badly decimated units, and his gallant example as he stood exposed repeatedly to point out targets served as an inspiration to all,” CMOHS wrote. “His gallant initiative and heroic conduct reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the US Naval Service.”

DDG-124 will be homeported at Naval Station Norfolk.

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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