HONOLULU — The U.S. Navy will christen a new guided-missile destroyer the Daniel Inouye this weekend during a ceremony in Maine.

The Arleigh Burke-class ship is being named after the war hero and politician who broke racial barriers in Congress.

Inouye represented Hawaii in the U.S. Senate for a half-century until his death in 2012.

Navy destroyer to be named after Ted Stevens
Navy destroyer to be named after Ted Stevens

At the time of his death, he had been the longest continuously serving U.S. senator, with a tenure that lasted between 1968 and 2009.

By: The Associated Press

He played key roles in congressional investigations of the Watergate and Iran-Contra scandals and served as chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

He received the Medal of Honor for bravery fighting in World War II with the mostly Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

He lost his right arm.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii will speak at Saturday’s ceremony in Bath, Maine.

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Inouye’s widow, Irene Hirano Inouye, will be the ship’s sponsor.

Lt. Daniel Inouye, an infantry platoon leader in the legendary 442nd Regimental Combat Team, received the Medal of Honor for his battlefield valor along the Gothic Line on April 21, 1945. (National Park Service)
Lt. Daniel Inouye, an infantry platoon leader in the legendary 442nd Regimental Combat Team, received the Medal of Honor for his battlefield valor along the Gothic Line on April 21, 1945. (National Park Service)