PCU Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124) Sailors Arrive in Boston for Scheduled Port Visit

16 March 2026

BOSTON (March 13, 2026) – U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124) arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, March 13 for a scheduled port visit.

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BOSTON (March 13, 2026) – The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124) arrives in Boston for a scheduled port visit, March 13. During the visit, Sailors assigned to the ship will participate in community engagement events and host public tours. PCU Harvey C. Barnum Jr. is scheduled to commission April 11, 2026, in Norfolk, Virginia. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Scott Wichmann)

During the visit, the PCU Harvey C. Barnum Jr.’s crew will participate in community outreach engagements with local organizations and members of the ship’s commissioning committee. The ship will also host public tours, offering visitors the opportunity to step aboard and learn more about life and operations on a U.S. Navy warship.

“Our arrival in Boston is a meaningful milestone as our crew prepares to commission the Navy’s newest destroyer and bring this warship to life,” said Cmdr. Ben Cantu, commanding officer of PCU Harvey C. Barnum Jr. “Every port visit and engagement is an opportunity for our Sailors to represent the legacy of our namesake, Medal of Honor recipient Col. Harvey ‘Barney’ Barnum Jr., while continuing the work of preparing this warship to join the fleet. Our crew is proud to represent this warship and excited for the moment when USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. officially enters service.”

Port visits provide Sailors opportunities to engage with the communities they serve while strengthening the Navy’s connection with the American public.

“Boston’s history and pride make it the perfect place for our crew to reflect on what it means to serve,” said Command Master Chief Kenson Jacques, command master chief of PCU Harvey C. Barnum Jr. “Engaging with the community here and standing alongside USS Constitution reinforces that we are stewards of a tradition far greater than ourselves. With commissioning on the horizon, the dedication and energy of our Sailors has never been stronger.”

PCU Harvey C. Barnum Jr. is named for Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Col. Harvey C. “Barney” Barnum Jr., who was awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism during the Vietnam War. The ship is the first warship to bear his name.

PCU Harvey C. Barnum Jr. is a Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer designed to conduct a wide range of maritime operations, including anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and anti-surface warfare in support of national security and global maritime stability. Once commissioned, the ship will be capable of operating independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, and expeditionary strike groups.

The future USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124) is scheduled to commission April 11, 2026, in Norfolk, Virginia, and will be homeported at Naval Station Norfolk.

For more information about the commissioning, please see link at https://www.dvidshub.net/news/559395/navy-announces-commissioning-future-uss-harvey-c-barnum-jr.

For more information about PCU Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124), visit the ship’s official U.S. Navy page at: https://www.surflant.usff.navy.mil/ddg124/.

COMNAVSURFLANT mans, trains and equips assigned surface forces and shore activities, ensuring a capable force for conducting prompt and sustained operations in support of United States national interests. The SURFLANT force is composed of 77 ships and 31 shore commands.

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