DDG christening & GC connections

The Navy will christen the newest guided-missile destroyer, the future USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) on April 1 at a 10:30 a.m. CDT ceremony at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine. The future USS Thomas Hudner is named in honor of naval aviator and Medal of Honor recipient Thomas J. Hudner Jr., the last living Navy recipient of the Medal of Honor to have served in the Korean War. Georgea Hudner, wife of Capt. Hudner, and Barbara Miller, wife of retired Vice Adm. Michael Miller, former superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, will serve as the ship’s sponsors. Hudner was awarded the MoH for attempting to save the life of his squadron mate, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in December 1950. During the christening event, Hudner and Miller will break a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow to formally christen the ship. The event is to be live streamed at https://livestream.com/avtechnik/events/7109391. (Source: US Navy 03/29/17) Gulf Coast Note: Brown was the first African-American naval aviator. He was from Hattiesburg, Miss.; and served briefly in flight training at NAS Pensacola, Fla. USS Jesse L. Brown (FFT-1089) was decommissioned from U.S. Navy service in a pierside ceremony at NASP.