PHILIPPINE SEA – The Commanding Officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) along with three other members of his crew, travelled to Waterbury, Connecticut, the birthplace of Steelwork 2nd Class Robert Stethem for whom the ship is named, for a visit Nov. 5.
During the visit, the ship’s Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Jeff W. Benson, along with Lt. j.g. Terence Viernes, Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class Bradley Hildreth, and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Madisen Whiting, will visit the Washington DC area and New York City where they will meet with local officials, civic groups, visit the 9/11 memorial, speak with students at the R.D. Stethem Educational Center, and pay their respects at Arlington National Cemetery where their namesake is interred.
"My crew and I are looking forward to meeting with the community in Waterbury and the DC area to talk about the Navy and how we serve the American people," Benson said.
USS Stethem was named after Steelworker 2nd Class Robert Stethem who was murdered by terrorists during the hijacking of the commercial airliner TWA Flight 847 in 1985.
Posthumously Robert Stethem was frocked to the honorary rank of Master Chief Constructionman.
"We are proud to serve on Stethem, a ship named after an American hero and we are honored to participate in this Namesake Visit in order to share his story,” said Benson.
Stethem is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.
"We are proud to serve on Stethem, a ship named after an American hero and we are honored to participate in this Namesake Visit in order to share his story,” said Benson.
Stethem is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.