The future USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124) arrived at its homeport of Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on March 20, 2026. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer pulled into Berth 6, Pier 5, ahead of its formal commissioning ceremony scheduled for April 11, 2026, at the same base. Retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Harvey C. Barnum Jr., the ship’s namesake and a Medal of Honor recipient, stood on the pier to welcome the warship and its crew.
The ship is the Navy’s newest destroyer and the 74th in the Arleigh Burke class. It is a Flight IIA Technology Insertion variant equipped with the Aegis Baseline 9 combat system.
- This setup delivers integrated air and missile defense, improved computing power, and upgraded radars that extend detection range and shorten reaction times against air, surface, and subsurface threats.
- The destroyer will conduct anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and anti-surface warfare operations.
- It can operate alone or as part of larger naval task forces to support national security and maintain maritime stability.
Construction began at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The keel was laid on April 6, 2021. The ship was christened on July 29, 2023, with Martha Hill, wife of Col. Barnum, serving as sponsor. It launched in September 2023 and underwent builder’s trials, acceptance trials, and final outfitting through 2025. The Navy accepted delivery in November 2025. The ship departed Bath for the final transit to Norfolk on March 4, 2026. It stopped in Newport, Rhode Island, from March 5 to 10, then visited Boston from March 13 for several days before arriving in Norfolk on March 20.
Col. Barnum, born July 21, 1940, in Cheshire, Connecticut, earned the Medal of Honor for actions on December 18, 1965, during Operation Harvest Moon in Quang Tin Province, Vietnam. Serving as a first lieutenant and artillery forward observer with Company H, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, he faced an ambush that pinned down his unit. The company commander was wounded and the radio operator killed.
- Barnum provided aid to the dying commander, took the radio, assumed command, rallied the Marines under heavy fire, and led a counterattack.
- He directed artillery and helicopter strikes, cleared a landing zone, and oversaw evacuation of casualties.
- He became the fourth Marine to receive the Medal of Honor for Vietnam service.
His citation states he
“displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”
Barnum completed a second tour in Vietnam, retired from the Marine Corps in 1989 after 27 years, and later served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Reserve Affairs from 2001 to 2008 and as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs in 2009.
The naming of DDG 124 honors Barnum’s service. He and his wife have stayed connected with the pre-commissioning crew since the keel-laying ceremony. On arrival day in Norfolk, Barnum addressed the sailors directly on the pier. The ship’s motto, “En agite,” translates to “Charge on,” reflecting the aggressive spirit shown in combat by its namesake.
This arrival marks a concrete step in strengthening the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers form the backbone of naval power projection. The addition of USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. increases capabilities for ballistic missile defense and multi-domain operations at a time when peer competitors challenge freedom of navigation in key regions. The ship’s Aegis system integrates seamlessly with carrier strike groups and allied forces, providing layered defense against missiles, aircraft, and ships.
Crew training and certification continue in the weeks before commissioning. Cmdr. Benjamin R. Cantu commands the pre-commissioning unit. Once commissioned on April 11, the destroyer will join Destroyer Squadron 2 or another unit at Naval Station Norfolk and begin full operational integration into the fleet.
The event underscores the Navy’s deliberate process of shipbuilding, testing, and deployment. From contract award in 2013 through delivery and homeport arrival, every phase followed standard acquisition timelines without reported delays that have plagued other programs. The presence of the 85-year-old Medal of Honor recipient at the pier connected current sailors to a legacy of valor from more than 60 years ago.
No public funds were wasted on this platform. The destroyer represents direct investment in hulls, sensors, and weapons that deter aggression and protect sea lanes. Its arrival in Norfolk places another advanced warship on the East Coast, ready to deploy to the Atlantic, Mediterranean, or beyond as required by combatant commanders.
The USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. now sits at its permanent homeport, fully prepared for the commissioning that will make it an official commissioned vessel in the United States Navy.
