U.S. Navy Christens New Destroyer USS William Charette, Honoring Korean War Hero

The U.S. Navy has officially named its latest Arleigh Burke-class Flight III guided-missile destroyer the USS William Charette (DDG-130). The christening ceremony took place on August 1 at the Bath Iron Works shipyard in Maine, continuing a naval tradition of honoring distinguished service members.

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He immediately threw himself onto the wounded Marine, absorbing the explosion with his body.

The new destroyer bears the name of Navy Hospitalman William R. Charette, a Korean War hero who received the Medal of Honor. Charette earned the nation's highest military decoration for his extraordinary bravery on the front lines in 1953. While serving with the 1st Marine Division, he selflessly shielded a wounded Marine from a grenade explosion, absorbing the blast with his own body.

Despite sustaining facial injuries and having his medical kit destroyed, Charette tore strips from his uniform to use as bandages. He continued to treat other wounded soldiers under intense enemy fire, ultimately saving the lives of several servicemen. Charette was the only Navy medical personnel from the Korean War to survive and personally receive the Medal of Honor, which was presented to him by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954.

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He tore strips from his uniform to serve as bandages, continuing to treat other wounded soldiers under enemy fire.

The USS William Charette (DDG-130) is the fifth Flight III configuration of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. These advanced vessels are equipped with the AN/SPY-6(V)1 air and missile defense radar, offering significantly enhanced target detection and tracking capabilities compared to earlier models. This makes them a crucial component of the U.S. Navy's surface fleet modernization efforts. The naming of the ship underscores the Navy's commitment to honoring heroes and upholding its traditions.

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He was the only Korean War Navy medical corpsman to survive and personally receive the Medal of Honor.