Welcome to Navy Live blog coverage of the December 1 commissioning of the Navy’s newest guided-missile destroyer, USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116).

Live video from Flynn Cruiseport in Boston is scheduled to begin 10 a.m. (EST).

The future USS Thomas Hudner honors naval aviator and Medal of Honor recipient Capt. Thomas J. Hudner Jr. President Harry S. Truman awarded the Medal of Honor to Hudner April 13, 1951, who displayed “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity” for attempting to save the life of his squadron mate, Ens. Jesse L. Brown, in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. Although Brown perished in the incident, Hudner survived the war and retired from the Navy after 26 years of service. He passed away Nov. 13, 2017, at the age of 93 and was interred with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, April 4, 2018. This will be the first U.S. Navy ship to bear the name Thomas Hudner.

“The commissioning of USS Thomas Hudner continues a spirit of faithful service that Thomas Hudner embodied throughout his life, and his legacy will live on in those who serve aboard this ship.”
– Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker will deliver the ceremony’s principal address. The ship’s sponsors are Georgea Hudner, widow of Capt. Thomas Hudner, and Barbara Miller, wife of retired Vice Adm. Michael Miller, former superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy. In a time-honored Navy tradition, they will give the order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”

The future USS Thomas Hudner will be the 66th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The ship will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. Thomas Hudner will be capable of engaging in air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and will contain a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare, including Integrated Air and Missile Defense capabilities.

USS Thomas Hudner will be homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.

Follow the conversation on Twitter using #USSThomasHudner.

http://navylive.dodlive.mil/2018/11/28/uss-thomas-hudner-ddg-116-commissioning-ceremony/ U.S. Navy