Bath Iron Works christened the future USS William Charette on Saturday, continuing the Maine shipyard’s long tradition of building guided-missile destroyers for the Navy.
The ceremony took place in the dry dock at BIW’s shipyard before approximately 1,500 shipbuilders, family members and invited guests.
Speakers included Gov. Janet Mills, Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao.
The ship’s sponsors are the namesake’s daughters, M. Ann Henderson, Kathryn Charette Donovan and Laura Charette Bennett.
DDG 130 is named for Master Chief Hospital Corpsman William Charette, a career sailor who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War. It is BIW’s second Flight III destroyer and the 43rd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer built at the Bath shipyard.
BIW President Charles F. Krugh said Charette’s bravery and life of service inspired the shipbuilders’ work.
He said the ship will sail with the motto “Valor in Service.”
“It will also sail with the promise that Bath Built is Best Built — when our Navy’s sailors take this ship into harm’s way to protect our country and our families, they deserve our best,” Krugh said.
In addition to William Charette, Bath Iron Works currently has under construction the Flight III ships Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126), Quentin Walsh (DDG 132), John E. Kilmer (DDG 134), Richard G. Lugar (DDG 136), J. William Middendorf (DDG 138) and Thomas G. Kelley (DDG 140).
Streamers fill the air while the U.S. Navy Brass Band played Anchors Aweigh following the christening of the future USS William Charette (DDG 130) at the General Dynamics Bath Iron Works dry dock on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Credit: Courtesy of Bath Iron Works 
Streamers fill the air while the U.S. Navy Brass Band played Anchors Aweigh following the christening of the future USS William Charette (DDG 130) at the General Dynamics Bath Iron Works dry dock on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Credit: Courtesy of Bath Iron Works