BATH, Maine. — Capt. Joshua Fields relieved Capt. David Hart as commanding officer, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Bath (SUPSHIP Bath), during a ceremony at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, on April 25.
As its 33rd commanding officer, Fields assumes command of SUPSHIP Bath after serving most recently as the SUPSHIP Bath executive officer. Fields received his commission and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Systems Engineering from Maine Maritime Academy via the Reserve Officer Training Corps program and was designated as a surface warfare officer in 2001.His first tour was at Naval Postgraduate School where he received his Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He served aboard USS McCampbell (DDG 85) as the main propulsion officer and ships material and maintenance officer before laterally transferring to the engineering duty officer (EDO) community.
Capt. Fields’ EDO tours included the Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, where he qualified as a full EDO; the U.S. Naval Academy as a master instructor in naval architecture and marine engineering; the Board of Inspection and Survey as senior engineer and an inspector for main propulsion and auxiliaries; the officer in charge and Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program manager’s representative for SUPSHIP Bath Marinette detachment; and the Amphibious Warfare Program (PMS 377) in Program Executive Office, Ships as the deputy principle acquisition program manager for Amphibious Assault Ships (LHA).
“Capt. Fields will continue to find more efficient ways to drive SUPSHIP Bath in building the Navy’s next generation of warships that protect and serve the American people, the Navy, and our regional partners,” said Vice Adm. James P. Downey, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).
During the ceremony, Downey presented Hart with a Legion of Merit Medal for his professional accomplishments since assuming command of SUPSHIP Bath in March 2022.
Hart is retiring after a 29-year Naval career. As the Supervisor of Shipbuilding for Bath, he oversaw the delivery of 12 ships across the following ship classes: Arleigh Burke-class Destroyers (DDG), Lewis B. Puller-class Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) ships, Littoral Combat Ship-class (LCS) Freedom variant, and John Lewis-class Fleet Replenishment Oilers (T-AO).
“Throughout his 29 years of impressive naval service, Capt. Hart has made every place he worked better and the Nation safer for his efforts,” said Downey.
SUPSHIP Bath is a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command, overseeing the design and construction of six ship classes at private shipyards in Bath, Maine; San Diego; and Marinette, Wisconsin.
-NAVSEA-