USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr.
The USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG-124) is a Flight IIA Technology Insertion variant of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer in the United States Navy, serving as the 74th ship in its class and the first vessel named for Colonel Harvey C. Barnum Jr., a retired Marine Corps officer awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism during the Vietnam War.[1] Built by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, the destroyer's keel was laid on April 6, 2021, and she was christened on July 29, 2023, by sponsor Martha Hill, wife of the namesake.[2] The ship measures 509 feet in length, has a beam of 66 feet, and displaces approximately 9,200 tons at full load, powered by four General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines enabling speeds in excess of 30 knots.[3][4] Equipped with the Aegis Combat System, she features advanced vertical launch systems for missiles, a 5-inch gun, torpedoes, and helicopter capabilities, designed for multi-mission roles including air defense, surface warfare, and anti-submarine operations.[3] As of November 2025, the Harvey C. Barnum Jr. has completed initial sea trials in July 2025, during which the namesake himself participated, and is undergoing final outfitting ahead of her planned commissioning in 2026 at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, where she will be homeported.[5] The ship's namesake, Harvey Curtiss "Barney" Barnum Jr. (born July 21, 1940), graduated from Saint Anselm College in 1962 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve through the Platoon Leaders Class.[6] He received the Medal of Honor as a first lieutenant for his actions on December 18, 1965, during an ambush in Quang Tin Province, Vietnam, where he assumed command of a beleaguered company, directed fire and support, and evacuated casualties under heavy enemy assault; it was presented on February 27, 1967, by Secretary of the Navy Paul H. Nitze, making him the fourth Marine so honored in Vietnam.[6] Barnum retired from the Marine Corps as a colonel in 1989 after more than 27 years of service and later served as deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for reserve affairs from 2001 to 2009. The naming of DDG-124 in 2016 honors his legacy as one of 32 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers commemorating Medal of Honor recipients, symbolizing enduring naval tribute to exceptional valor.Namesake
Early life and education
Harvey C. Barnum Jr. was born on July 21, 1940, in Cheshire, Connecticut, to parents Harvey and Ann Barnum.[7] His father, a World War II Marine veteran, worked as a construction company manager and later as Cheshire's building inspector, while his mother served as a homemaker; the family included Barnum and his younger brother, Henry.[7] Growing up in the small New England town, Barnum developed an early sense of discipline and community involvement, influenced by his parents' emphasis on responsibility.[7] Barnum attended Cheshire High School, where he excelled in extracurricular activities, serving as class president during his freshman and senior years, and participating in football, baseball, and the Boy Scouts.[8] He graduated in 1958, having demonstrated leadership qualities that foreshadowed his future path.[7] During high school, a Marine Corps recruiter visiting for career day sparked his interest in military service, despite his father's prior experience in the Corps during World War II.[7] Following high school, Barnum enrolled at Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, a Benedictine institution, where he pursued a degree in economics.[9] While in college, he joined the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class in 1958, participating in summer training programs that combined his academic studies with military preparation.[7] He earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1962 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve upon graduation.[9]Military service in Vietnam
In December 1965, First Lieutenant Harvey C. Barnum Jr. deployed to Vietnam on temporary duty as an artillery forward observer attached to Company H, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division.[10] His brief tour, part of Operation Harvest Moon, placed him in Quang Tin Province supporting efforts to disrupt Viet Cong operations in the region.[11] On December 18, 1965, near the village of Ky Phu, Barnum's company came under sudden ambush by a numerically superior Viet Cong force while advancing off a mountain ridge.[12] The unit, consisting of approximately 134 Marines, was quickly pinned down by intense small-arms and automatic weapons fire, separated from the rest of the battalion by more than 500 meters of exposed, fire-swept terrain, with casualties mounting rapidly. The company commander, Captain Paul Gormley Jr., was mortally wounded by enemy fire, dying in Barnum's arms, while the radio operator was killed outright. With complete disregard for his own safety, Barnum retrieved the radio, strapped it to himself, and immediately assumed command of the beleaguered company under withering fire.[6] Exposed repeatedly to enemy fire, Barnum conducted a hazardous reconnaissance to identify targets, rallied the shaken units, and reorganized them to fill leadership gaps and launch a counterattack on entrenched enemy positions.[6] His calm demeanor and swift decisions stabilized the force as he directed two armed helicopters in close air support strikes against the Viet Cong, despite poor weather limiting fixed-wing involvement. Leading one platoon in a successful assault on a key machine-gun nest, Barnum cleared a landing zone by having engineers fell trees under fire, then coordinated the arrival of two transport helicopters for the evacuation of the dead and wounded over the next 45 minutes.[12] After four hours of intense combat, he broke the siege, mopped up remaining resistance, and guided the survivors to rejoin the battalion at Ky Phu, securing the objective. For his actions, Barnum was awarded the Medal of Honor on February 27, 1967, presented by Secretary of the Navy Paul H. Nitze at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C.[6] The official citation states:For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. When the company was suddenly pinned down by a hail of extremely accurate enemy fire and was quickly separated from the remainder of the battalion by over 500 meters of open and fire-swept ground and casualties mounted rapidly, Lt. Barnum quickly made a hazardous reconnaissance of the area, seeking targets for his artillery. Finding the rifle company commander mortally wounded and the radio operator killed, he, with complete disregard for his safety, gave aid to the dying commander, then removed the radio from the dead operator and strapped it to himself. He immediately assumed command of the rifle company, and moving at once into the midst of the heavy fire, rallying and giving encouragement to all units, reorganizing them to replace the loss of key personnel and lead their attack on enemy positions from which deadly fire continued to come. His sound and swift decisions and his obvious calm served to stabilize the badly decimated units and his gallant example as he stood exposed repeatedly to point out targets served as an inspiration to all. Provided with two armed helicopters, he moved fearlessly through enemy fire to control the air attacks against the firmly entrenched enemy while skillfully directing one platoon in a successful counterattack on the key enemy positions. Having thus cleared a small area, he requested and directed the landing of two transport helicopters for the evacuation of the dead and wounded. He then assisted in the mopping-up and final seizure of the battalion's objective. His gallant initiative and heroic conduct reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.[6]In the immediate aftermath, Barnum's leadership enabled the company to consolidate and continue operations, though the action resulted in significant Marine casualties.[11] He completed his tour and returned to the United States in February 1966, rejoining his unit in Hawaii, where he was promoted to captain in June 1966.