Chief Petty Officer Courtney Dion talks to media in front of the future USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124) at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., on Thursday, April 9, 2026. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
NORFOLK, Va. — Before leaving for boot camp 16 years ago, Chief Petty Officer Courtney Dion asked Medal of Honor recipient and retired Marine Corps Col. Harvey C. Barnum Jr. — known to her simply as “Uncle Barney”— for advice.
“Just keep your head down and don’t make a fuss out of anything,” he told her, and she moved through boot camp just like any other recruit, with no one knowing her family ties to a war hero.
Now, Dion proudly serves aboard the ship that bears her uncle’s name, carrying forward her family’s legacy through her service.
“To be able to contribute to the mission and the readiness is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and to be a representative of his legacy is one of the best things,” said Dion, a hospital corpsman.
The future USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124) will be officially commissioned at its homeport in Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday, joining the fleet as one of the service’s latest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. The ship’s sponsor, Martha Hill, is Barnum’s wife and Dion’s aunt.
Barnum will be at the ceremony to witness the commissioning — a momentous occasion rarely experienced by a namesake.
Having a living namesake “with us throughout this entire process, from new construction to joining the fleet, it’s just been a great, great exceptional opportunity. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Cmdr. Benjamin Cantu, the ship’s commanding officer.
The destroyer is the first to be named after Barnum, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War. On Dec. 18, 1965, Barnum moved through enemy fire to lead attacks against entrenched fighters and, after securing the area, coordinated the landing of transport helicopters to evacuate casualties.
“When the ship got named after him, he was speechless,” Dion said. “I think, every day, he lives in awe knowing that this is something that he’s done, because to him, he’s just doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons.”
Dion serves as the senior medical department representative aboard the ship and is responsible for the health and well-being of the crew. In 2024, she was selected as the U.S. Fleet Forces Command Sailor of the Year, which recognizes sailors who exemplify excellence and leadership.
“His (Barnum’s) devotion to duty, what he has done in his life, what he’s been able to achieve, the experiences that he’s been able to have, has definitely been an influence for me to join the military,” Dion said.
She added that other members of her family who have a history of military service also inspired her decision to join. Dion said her family is excited to finally witness the ship’s commissioning, an event they have been waiting for since 2016.
“I have this overwhelming excitement for the crew,” Dion said. “Knowing all the sacrifices and everything that we’ve gone through to get the ship to where it is now, and my family ties with that as well, is overwhelming. I’m just very proud.”
