Navy christens future USS George M. Neal, named for Korean War hero

The Navy christened the future USS George M. Neal, its newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, in a ceremony at Saturday at Huntington Ingalls Industries in Pascagoula, Miss. 

The ship is named in honor of Korean War veteran Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class George M. Neal, who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism during a search-and-rescue mission over North Korea in 1951. While serving with Helicopter Utility Squadron One, Neal volunteered for a perilous mission deep in enemy territory to rescue a downed aviator, according to the Navy. After the helicopter crashed under heavy enemy fire, he aided his fellow crew members in evading capture for nine days, enduring subsequent imprisonment as a prisoner of war.

“The future USS George M. Neal honors a legacy of extraordinary courage and sacrifice,” said William Toti, performing the duties of undersecretary of the Navy. “As we christen this ship, we mark another step toward building the Navy our nation needs. Flight III destroyers are critical to our nation’s security, and we are proud to accept each one built by the skilled workforce at Ingalls.”

Kelley Neal Gray, the ship’s sponsor and daughter of the namesake, performed the traditional bottle-breaking ceremony against the bow.

“On behalf of my family, I express my deepest gratitude to the United States Navy, to the incredible honor, for this magnificent destroyer after my father, George Milton Neal,” Gray said. “We are forever grateful that his life of service, sacrifice and courage will be remembered through a ship that will one day defend our nation and carry his legacy throughout the world.”

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet, providing protection to America around the globe, according to the Navy. They incorporate stealth techniques, allowing these highly capable, multi-mission ships to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence to national security, providing a wide range of warfighting capabilities in air, surface and subsurface domains.