CHARLESTON - The USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) was commissioned Saturday amid much pomp and circumstance and a chilly wind at the Charleston Naval Weapons Station.

The guided missile destroyer is named in honor of Darlington native James Elliott Williams, the most decorated enlisted man in the history of the U.S. Navy and a Medal of Honor recipient. DDG 95 is the first Naval warship to honor an enlisted sailor, according to James L. Herdt, who was the ninth master chief petty officer of the Navy. The master chief petty officer is the highest enlisted officer in the Navy.

But amid all the hoopla, Williams had to be smiling from his boatswain’s mate perch in the sky. Times have changed in the boatswain’s mate arena from the Vietnam era. Williams was honored for his indomitable courage on Patrol River Boat 105, which was patrolling the Mekong River. “Boats,” as they are called in the Navy, were all men.

Williams is smiling because the chief boatswain’s mate on the USS James E. Williams is a woman, and a Northerner to boot. Chief Jody Myers of Bloomsburg, Pa., has spent 18 years in the Navy. She has been a boatswain’s mate since joining because it’s a challenging job that changes every day.

“This is a great honor because I’ve learned a lot about James Elliott Williams,” she said Saturday. “I’ve got some big shoes to fill but, just as our namesake said, it’s all about teamwork. Those boats and I will work together as a team to bring the highest honor to the USS James E. Williams.”

“I may be small, but I’ve got a big bark,” Myers, who was on an aircraft carrier before her current assignment, said. “I believe I could probably bark as loud as Chief Williams.”

The state’s senior U.S. senator, Republican Lindsay Graham, was the keynote speaker. Noting Williams was a Medal of Honor recipient, Graham said there are 129 recipients alive today. He said 10 were present for the commissioning.

Graham lauded the courage of those serving aboard DDG 95 as well as in the armed forces. He said we’ve got young people willing to risk their lives for their country.

Graham said the destroyer’s technology was second to none and that its crew represents the best of those serving in the Navy.

He warned our enemies, especially those in Iraq, to think again if they think the U.S. is weak.

“We will do what is necessary to win the war on terror,” he asserted. “This ship is going to keep us strong and the United States free. It’s our job to stand behind these people.”

Gov. Mark Sanford said he looked forward to watching DDG 95 take its place in the Navy’s fleet. He said he was confident the ship and its crew would live up to the standards set by Williams - “the most highly decorated enlisted man in the Navy’s history” and “a working man with a mission,” he said.

Sanford said the commissioning was a hallowed and momentous occasion. He said ships are named for our heroes.

“James Elliott Williams was a hero,” he said. “He lived his life fully, and we’re honoring that life today.” Williams’ widow, Elaine, is the ship’s sponsor. As part of Navy tradition, she gave the order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”

The crew then ran aboard to “Anchors Away” and stood on the deck as sirens screamed and horns blew.

Cmdr. Philip Vance, the captain, said, “The USS James E. Williams is manned and ready, and I report for duty, Sir.”

Among others reporting for duty were Seaman Andrew Drybrough, a 6-foot-7-inch sonar technician from Indianapolis, and Senior Chief Yeoman Stephen Ball of St. Louis.

“This is a great ship named after a great man,” Drybrough said. “It’s high-tech. I even have my own workstation for sonar.”

Ball was the duty section leader responsible for welcoming the visitors who thronged aboard the ship.

“I just signed up for four more years,” said Ball, who joined the Navy in 1984. “This is a great ship named after a true American hero. I’m looking forward to serving on the James E. Williams.”

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