Navy Christens USS John Basilone

(Original article appears courtesy of Naval Today)

The US Navy has christened the future USS John Basilone (DDG 122) during a ceremony at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine.

The christening ceremony for the vessel, which is the second ship to honor Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone, was held on 18 June.

Basilone, received the Medal of Honor for heroism displayed in the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II, where he led his heavy machine gun sections in defense of a critical position and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy.

He later returned to action at the Battle of Iwo Jima in February of 1944, where he single-handedly destroyed an enemy blockhouse and led a Marine tank under fire safely through a minefield.

Basilone was killed in action later that day and was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his unwavering devotion and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice.

“The future USS John Basilone will serve as a constant reminder of the immense impact that actions taken by any one Sailor or Marine can truly have,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.

“Gunnery Sgt. Basilone is a national hero and this ship and crew will honor his legacy for decades to come.”

USS Basilone belongs to Arleigh Burke-class of destroyers. These multi-mission ships conduct various operations, from peacetime presence to national security, providing a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface, and subsurface domains.

The keel for the unit was laid in January 2020.