USS THOMAS HUDNER Commissioning Week

The USO was honored to take part in the festivities surrounding the commissioning of the newly minted destroyer USS THOMAS HUDNER. The HUDNER is the 66th ARLEIGH BURKE-class destroyer, named in honor of Medal of Honor Recipient and Korean War veteran CAPT Thomas J. Hudner, USN (Ret.).

Built right here at home in New England at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, the USS HUDNER was commissioned to the Fleet on December 1, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts, preceded by a week of commissioning festivities for the HUDNER and her crew.

Proud sponsors New England Coffee offered free “Coffee on the Pier” on a cold, rainy Boston morning and the USO offered that New England classic, Dunkin’ Donuts, to welcome the HUDNER crew to Boston. The USO provided a festive tailgate BBQ, offering lunch courtesy of Texas Roadhouse, and entertainment by many local sports teams, the USO Show Troupe, and Miss Massachusetts, supported by numerous donors, Massport employees, and USO volunteers and staff. To wrap up their commissioning week, the crew of the HUDNER sent along five sailors to sit in the Row of Honor and run American flags onto the field at the New England Patriots Game.

Welcome to the Fleet, USS HUDNER, and thank you to her crew and their families for their ongoing service and commitment!