Bath Iron Works Lays Keel for US Navy Warship USS William Charette

MarineLink August 30, 2024

During a keel laying ceremony for the future USS William Charente on Aug. 29, a welder from General Dynamic Bath Iron Works etches the initials of the keel honorees into the keel plate. (Photo: U.S. Navy)

The keel for the future USS William Charette (DDG 130), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, was ceremoniously laid on August 29 at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) in Bath, Maine. The warship is scheduled for delivery to the U.S. Navy in 2026.

Named after Medal of Honor recipient Master Chief Hospital Corpsman William R. Charette, the ship honors his valorous service during the Korean War with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Panmunjom Corridor.

Rear Adm. Darin K. Via, Surgeon General of the Navy and Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), led the ceremony in place of Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. Via authenticated the keel laying on behalf of Charette’s family, including his daughters Margaret Ann Charette Henderson, Kati Charette Donovan, and Laura Charette Bennett, who are serving as the ship’s co-sponsors.

“All of us in Navy Medicine are immensely proud to have a warship named after one of our own. We understand that it is one of the greatest honors you can receive in the Navy. The future USS William Charette will not only be a symbol of American strength but also a testament to the courage and dedication of Navy corpsmen,” said Rear Adm. Darin Via. “To have a ship named after a Navy corpsman is to hold to the maxim of ‘Corpsman Up!’ and embodies the ethos of courage, fidelity, and service before self.”

A statement from the Charette family was read by BUMED Force Master Chief Patrick Paul Mangaran, director of the Hospital Corps.

The USS William Charette will be equipped with advanced technology, including the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar, and will feature upgrades to its electrical power and cooling systems. These enhancements are designed to significantly boost the destroyer’s warfighting capabilities. Other destroyers currently under construction at BIW include the Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124), Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126), Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127), Quentin Walsh (DDG 132), John E. Kilmer (DDG 134), and Richard G. Lugar (DDG 136).

“The future USS William Charette will be a welcomed addition to the fleet and another player on the field to provide the Navy with the most advanced warfighting capability” said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 Class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “This ship honors the legacy of the late William Charette and his heroism during the Korean War. We are honored to have his daughters as sponsors and for the entire family to celebrate this significant milestone.”