Photo By Lt. Sydney Sisler | The mast stepping box following the mast stepping ceremony for PCU Louis H. Wilson,...... read more read more
On September 26, 2025, the future USS Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126) reached a significant construction milestone with its mast stepping ceremony at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine.
Distinguished guests for the occasion included Captain Jeff W. Benson, the Commanding Officer of PCU DDG 126; both of the ship’s sponsors, Mrs. Janet Wilson Taylor, General Wilson’s daughter, and the Honorable Susan J. Rabern; General John Paxton, the 33rd Assistant Commandant of the United States Marine Corps; Lieutenant General George Taylor, former Surgeon General of the Air Force; Rear Admiral Jim Aiken, former Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Southern Command; Rear Admiral Brian Metcalf, Program Executive Officer of Ships; Captain Josh Fields, Commanding Officer of Supervisor of Shipbuilding in Bath; Colonel Harvey Barnum, a Medal of Honor recipient and namesake of PCU DDG 124; Ann Zumwalt, President of the Society of Sponsors of the United States Navy and daughter of Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, the 19th Chief of Naval Operations; and Mr. Chuck Krugh, President of General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.
The mast stepping is a time-honored naval tradition that dates back to ancient times. Historically, the placement of a ship’s mast marked the point when a keel transformed into a true sailing vessel. There is evidence that the ritual of placing coins and other items beneath the mast began with ancient Greek and Roman mariners. It was believed that these offerings would serve as payment to Charon, the ferryman of the underworld, to ensure safe passage for the souls of sailors lost at sea. Another theory suggests that the coins could be used to purchase a new mast if the original was lost in battle or to a storm. While these beliefs have evolved, the tradition of placing items of significance in the mast has endured as a token of good luck, guaranteeing "fair winds and following seas."
Below are a few of the items placed in the mast stepping box:
| Date Taken: | 09.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2026 14:17 |
| Story ID: | 559298 |
| Location: | BATH, MAINE, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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