The Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer has been named in honor of Korean War veteran and Navy Cross recipient Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class George Neal.
In a release, Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer said Neal distinguished himself by volunteering to go into North Korea to rescue a downed American pilot.
“He was a hero, and I am proud his legacy will live on in the future USS George M. Neal (DDG 131,” Spencer said.
Neal, a native of Springfield, Ohio, served with Helicopter Squadron ONE, a helicopter rescue unit that embarked from the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney. On July 3, 1951, Neal and pilot Lt. j.g. John Koelsch attempted to rescue Marine Corps Capt. James Wilkins, who crashed near Yondong, North Korea after his Corsair was hit by antiaircraft fire.
Koelsch and Neal found Wilkins, but as they came under increased enemy fire and lowered their rescue sling their helicopter became disabled and crashed.
“For nine days, Neal assisted Koelsch and Wilkins in evading enemy forces before being captured and held as a prisoner of war,” the release said.
Koelsch died during captivity. Wilkins and Neal were released and returned to the United States with more than 320 fellow POWs in 1952. Neal was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions.
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The future USS George M. Neal (DDG 131) will be a Flight III destroyer capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously. It will be outfitted with a combination of offensive and defensive weapon systems that are designed to support maritime warfare, including integrated air and missile defense and vertical launch capabilities.The ship will be constructed at Huntington Ingalls in Pascagoula, Mississippi. It will be 509 feet long, have a beam length of 59 feet and be capable of operating at speeds in excess of 30 knots.
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