Christening of USS LOUIS H. WILSON JR. (DDG 126)

Christening of USS LOUIS H. WILSON JR. (DDG 126) On Saturday, September 27, 2025, beneath the clear skies of an early autumn morning in Bath, Maine, the United States Navy proudly christened the USS LOUIS H. WILSON JR. (DDG 126). This distinguished ship, the first to bear the name of Medal of Honor recipient and 26th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Louis H. Wilson Jr., stands as a lasting tribute to a leader whose valor, vision, and integrity continue to inspire generations of Marines and Sailors alike. General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) proudly presented this magnificent Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, another shining example of their steadfast motto: “Bath Built Is Best Built.” General Wilson’s beloved daughter, Janet Louise Wilson Taylor, and the Honorable Dr. Susan J. Raybern, Captain, United States Navy (Retired), proudly began their shared service as Co-Sponsors of the ship through a deeply moving Mast-Stepping Ceremony on Friday morning followed the next morning by a traditional Navy Christening Ceremony, rich with Marine Corps reverence and tradition, as they named the ship that bears General Wilson’s distinguished name. Julie Lobst, granddaughter of Co-Sponsor Dr. Susan Raybern, will serve as Maid of Honor. Claire Taylor, daughter of Janet Wilson Taylor, and Anna Chiles, daughter-in-law of Janet Wilson Taylor and wife of Louis Wilson Taylor, will serve as Matrons of Honor. Together, these three women reinforce the enduring bond between the ship and her Sponsors, ensuring that their spirit, devotion, and legacy will sail with the USS LOUIS H. WILSON JR. (DDG 126) throughout her lifetime. Louis H. Wilson Jr. grew up in the rural community of Brandon, Mississippi, where, following the death of his father when he was just five years old, he quickly learned the meaning of responsibility and commitment, qualities that would define his remarkable military career. His only child and Co-Sponsor, Janet Louise Wilson Taylor, shared cherished photographs of young Louis driving a goat cart filled with vegetables, which he sold at the local market to help support his mother and sister. He later attended Millsaps College, where he met Janet Clark, his future wife and lifelong partner. Upon graduating, he answered the call to serve by joining the United States Marine Corps, beginning a journey that would exemplify courage, honor, and devotion to duty. Only a few months after his commission, the attack on Pearl Harbor changed the course of Louis H. Wilson Jr.’s life. He was assigned to the 9th Marine Regiment, and by April 1943, he had been promoted to Captain. That July, he would distinguish himself in the fierce Battle of Guam. Ordered to advance across 300 yards of open terrain with his company to seize a key sector of the high ground at Fonte Hill, Captain Wilson led his men against overwhelming odds. Wounded multiple times, he continued to lead from the front, engaging in hand-to-hand combat with entrenched enemy forces. Through sheer determination and courage, he and his Marines captured and held the vital position, killing more than 300 enemy soldiers in the process. Time and again, he exposed himself to machine-gun fire to rescue his men and press the attack, ultimately losing thirteen of his own Marines in that single battle. His extraordinary valor and leadership earned him the Medal of Honor, presented by President Harry S. Truman on October 5, 1945, at the White House. In the years that followed, General Wilson rose swiftly through the ranks, earning universal respect for both his toughness and fairness. In 1975, he was promoted to four-star General and became the 26th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, guiding the Corps with distinction, integrity, and unwavering devotion to duty. As Commandant, General Louis H. Wilson Jr. left a permanent mark on the Marine Corps in two defining ways. Seeing the post-Vietnam Corps as diminished in discipline, readiness, and physical toughness, he set out to restore the image of the Marine as an elite warrior—the very best our nation could produce. His uncompromising standards and commitment to excellence reshaped training, leadership, and esprit de corps, and to this day he is credited with elevating the caliber of every Marine who has worn the eagle, globe, and anchor since. General Wilson also worked tirelessly to ensure that the Marine Corps would stand equal in stature with the other branches of the Armed Forces. Through determination and vision, he succeeded in establishing the Commandant of the Marine Corps as a permanent member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a lasting achievement that secured the Corps’ rightful place at the highest levels of national defense decision-making. The weekend’s events in Bath began on the morning of Friday, September 26, with a MastStepping Ceremony orchestrated by Commanding Officer, Captain Jeff W. Benson. In keeping with time-honored naval tradition, a procession of family, friends and co-workers, including Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Harvey C. “Barney” Barnum, placed mementos within a metal box, to remain hidden within the mast until the day the ship is decommissioned. Uniformed and civilian defense leaders along with shipbuilders paid tribute to the ship’s distinguished namesake and reflected on his enduring influence on the Navy–Marine Corps team. They also celebrated the promise and capability of this Flight III Arleigh Burke–class destroyer built by Bath Iron Works. Both Co-Sponsors placed deeply meaningful mementos within the mast-stepping box. The Honorable Dr. Susan J. Raybern, Captain, U.S. Navy (retired), contributed thoughtful tokens that reflected both her years of distinguished service in the Fleet and at the Pentagon, as well as her reverence for the ship’s heroic namesake. Sponsor Janet Wilson Taylor, assisted by her husband Jarred O. Taylor II, added treasured keepsakes honoring her father, along with a collection of coins whose dates recalled meaningful moments in her parents’ lives and the birth years of their extended family. Few eyes remained dry, the ceremony having so movingly united tradition, memory, and love. That evening, Bath Iron Works hosted a Sponsor Recognition Dinner at the Portland Sheraton, featuring a presentation of thoughtful gifts honoring the Co-Sponsors. During the dinner, Sponsor Dr. Susan J. Raybern presented Captain Jeff W. Benson with a ship’s bell — a remarkable artifact that had long graced her desk during her tenure as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and in other Navy roles. Before its presentation, she recounted (with admirable precision and no small measure of pride) the saga of how she had meticulously verified the bell’s compliance with Navy specifications — including confirming that it rang on the proper musical note, “G,” to ensure it could truly serve the needs of the Navy while representing her spirit. She confessed, to the amusement of all, that her decision to present the bell at the Christening rather than the Commissioning stemmed from a practical concern: how on earth she would get the bell through airport security if the latter event were to take place in Guam. Bath, Maine, was alive with excitement on the morning of September 27, as the Christening of a Navy ship is a cherished community event. A lovely early autumn morning dawned with bright, sunny skies along the Kennebec River, a waterway once traversed by Pilgrim forefathers trading furs a fitting historic backdrop for the introduction of this Arleigh Burke-class Flight III Destroyer, equipped with the most advanced radar system in the world, a true modern marvel. Shipbuilders and their families, Navy leadership, Marine veterans, and local, state, and federal dignitaries gathered alongside the Sponsors and their families to witness the naming of the ship in honor of Medal of Honor recipient and 26th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Louis H. Wilson Jr. The Honorable Janet Mills, Governor of Maine, led off with a strong endorsement of the workers of BIW. Skilled and dedicated, her neighbors put everything they have into building these marvelous ships. BIW is the lifeblood of the community and “Bath Built is Best Built” is more than a slogan due to the unique partnership of many businesses, local state and federal government and the Navy and of course the men and women who travel every workday to the shipyard and apply their skills. Senator Angus King, Member Senate Armed Services Committee, is a long supporter of BIW and its workers. Senator King delivered a powerful endorsement of BIW by recalling the recent success of the USS CARNEY (DDG 64). CARNEY was built and launched in Bath in 1994, one of the earlier Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers. She was deployed to the Red Sea in September of 2023 and engaged in critical battle against attacks by Houthi rebels. She responded to 51 enemy engagements during her deployment including shooting down 15 drones and 4 land attack missiles in a ten-hour battle on 17 October 2023, marking the most intense Naval warfare of any US ship since WWII. Over thirty years after her Christening this “Bath Built” ship has become a legend. Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient and namesake of USS Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. (DDG 124), Colonel Harvey C. (“Barney”) Barnum Jr. addressed the attendees and recalled another Marine hero. He spoke about General Wilson as a role model, “One of the greatest warriors I ever met”, who cautioned him to always in his words and deeds honor the medal he wore around his neck. He described a tough but fair boss who exemplified and defined what it meant to be a Marine. Vice Admiral Brad Stillman representing the CNO and Mr. Jason Potter representing the Secretary of the Navy followed next. They spoke of the legacy of the namesake and the value this ship will provide to the Fleet and the defense of our nation. The Principal Speaker, General Eric Smith, the current Commandant of the Marine Corps, spoke of the lifelong service of General Wilson and the profound effect he still has on the Corps. Fifty years after he rose to lead and resurrect the professionalism and reputation of the Marines, it is still said that General Wilson “saved the Marine Corps”. His heroism at the Battle of Guam was again identified as truly legendary. He highlighted the advances present in this Flight III Destroyer, giving it enhanced lethality and survivability. He reviewed General Wilson’s many contributions including the creation of Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) at 29 Palms, the largest Marine base in the world, the role of the Marines in JCS and the uncompromising standards he set for the Marine Corps. Co-Sponsor the Honorable Susan J. Rabern, declared a desire to impart “all of who she was” in the spirit of this ship for the rest of her life. The lessons of the boatswain’s mates and chiefs who gave her advice when she was a junior officer created that spirit as did the many mentors who led her in her career as an aide in the CNO and Joint Chiefs Staff. She also spoke of the friendship she developed with her partner Janet Wilson Taylor. Janet then thanked the shipbuilders of Bath again, noting that nothing but excellence would meet her father’s expectations. She offered that coincidently three of her five grandsons had birthdays on September 27th so this day will be celebrated on multiple levels in the Wilson Taylor family. Referring to her father’s selection as Commandant, “he was the right person, for the right job at the right time.” She reviewed his early history and reflected on the effect of his background on who he became. She painted a picture of a father who was loving, kind, and encouraging rounding out the portrait of this tough Marine. The audience chuckled as she related the story of a four-year-old Janet demonstrating how to ascend a rope ladder to Marine recruits in Boot Camp. Janet and Susan escorted by the dignitaries in attendance “got with it” and Christened LOUIS H. WILSON JR. with the words “For the United States of America, I christen thee LOUIS H. WILSON JR. May God bless this ship and all who sail in her.” Two bottles of champagne met their expected fate amid cheers and applause. Streamers and confetti bathed all present as “Anchors Away” and “The Halls of Montezuma” celebrated the event. The guests were then invited to a reception where admirals, active and retired, joined shipbuilders and Maine residents to feast on an endless supply of lobster rolls. Semper Fidelis, Contributed by Ann Zumwalt

Author: Martha Hill

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