Somerville's Thomas G. Kelley To Have Navy Ship Named In His Honor

ARLINGTON, VA — The US Navy announced last week that it will be naming a ship after Somerville resident and Medal of Honor recipient Thomas G. Kelley.

Carlos Del Toro, secretary of the Navy, said the future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer DDG-140 will bear Kelley's name. Kelley received the Medal of Honor for his valor during the Vietnam War.

Kelley, 83, who grew up in Boston, volunteered to serve in Vietnam as a lieutenant commanding officer.

On June 15, 1969, eight Kelley-led river assault boats fell under attack in Kien Hoa Province. Despite being severely wounded, Kelley continued to protect and lead his men to safety, according to the US Navy.

President Richard Nixon presented Kelley with the Medal of Honor in 1970.

Kelley eventually served 30 years in the Navy and was a captain when he retired. He then became the commissioner and later the secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Veterans' Services.

In 2020, former Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer announced his intention to name a ship after Kelley. But the Navy had not yet dedicated the name to an assigned hull number.

Del Toro made the naming official during a speech last Wednesday at the Surface Navy Association Symposium in Arlington, Virginia. Though Kelley could not attend the speech, Del Toro told USNI News that he called Kelley the night before the announcement to tell him of the decision to name the future ship in his honor.

"May we all, and especially the future men and women assigned to the ship, always be inspired by Kelley’s brilliant leadership, bold initiative and resolute determination," Del Toro said when announcing the name of the ship, according to USNI News.

According to the Navy, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the backbone of the Navy's surface fleet, and they provide protection to America around the globe.

The ships incorporate stealth techniques, allowing them to provide a peacetime presence and a wide range of warfighting capabilities.