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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
created by Don Mc Grogan

USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4)
ex
 USNS Hershel Woody Williams (T-ESB-4) (2015 - 2020)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Whiskey - Whiskey
 NHWW
Lewis B. Puller Class Expeditionary Sea Base:
  • Laid down, 18 December 2015, at General Dynamics NASSCO, San Diego, CA.
  • Launched, 13 August 2017
  • Christened USNS Hershel Woody Williams (T-ESB-4), 21 October 2017, at General Dynamic’s NASSCO, San Diego, CA.
  • The Navy's Military Sealift Command accepted delivery, 22 February 2018
  • Commissioned, USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4), 7 March 2020, CAPT. David L. Gray, Jr. USN (Blue) in command
  • Homeport to be Souda Bay, Crete, 29 September 2020
    Specifications:
    Displacement 35,087 t.(lt) 106,692 t.(fl)
    Length 785'
    Beam 164'
    Draft 36 ft
    Speed 15 kts
    Complement
    CivMar 34
    Armament none
    Cargo Capacities unknown
    Propulsion
    Diesel-electric
    two propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USNS Hershel Woody Williams (T-ESB-4)
    Hershel W. Williams 114k
    Namesake

    Hershel Woodrow "Woody" Williams, born 2 October 1923, is a retired United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. He is also the last surviving recipient of the Medal of Honor from that battle.
    Citation
    For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as demolition sergeant serving with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 23 February 1945. Quick to volunteer his services when our tanks were maneuvering vainly to open a lane for the infantry through the network of reinforced concrete pillboxes, buried mines, and black volcanic sands, Cpl. Williams daringly went forward alone to attempt the reduction of devastating machine gun fire from the unyielding positions. Covered only by 4 riflemen, he fought desperately for 4 hours under terrific enemy small-arms fire and repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flamethrowers, struggling back, frequently to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out 1 position after another. On 1 occasion, he daringly mounted a pillbox to insert the nozzle of his flamethrower through the air vent, killing the occupants and silencing the gun; on another he grimly charged enemy riflemen who attempted to stop him with bayonets and destroyed them with a burst of flame from his weapon. His unyielding determination and extraordinary heroism in the face of ruthless enemy resistance were directly instrumental in neutralizing one of the most fanatically defended Japanese strong points encountered by his regiment and aided vitally in enabling his company to reach its objective. Cpl. Williams' aggressive fighting spirit and valiant devotion to duty throughout this fiercely contested action sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.     		 
    Hershel W. Williams 80k Hershel Woody Williams (T-ESB-4) float out (launching), 19 August 2017, at General Dynamics NASSCO, San Diego, CA. Ron Reeves
    Hershel W. Williams 102k
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880413    		 148k Hershel Woody Williams two daughters, Tracy Jean Ross and Travie Jane Ross christen USNS Hershel Woody Williams (T-ESB-4), 21 October 2017, at General Dynamics NASSCO, San Diego, CA.
    NASSCO photo.    		 Dale Hargrave
    Hershel W. Williams 191k Hershel Woody Williams (T-ESB-4) Christening, 21 October 2017, at General Dynamics NASSCO, San Diego, CA. Ron Reeves
    Hershel W. Williams 111k Hershel Woody Williams (T-ESB-4) moored pierside at General Dynamics NASSCO, San Diego, CA., in 2017 Ron Reeves
    Hershel W. Williams 68k Hershel Woody Williams (T-ESB-4) gets under way from the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, CA. to start her first round of sea trials, 17 January 2018.
    NASSCO photos    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Ron Reeves
    Lee Wahler
    Hershel W. Williams 69k
    Hershel W. Williams 221k
    USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4)
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880410    		 178k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) arrived at Naples, Italy, for a routine logistics stop, 13 Aug.ust 2020. The ship, which is the second of a new class of sea-basing ships, departed Naval Station Norfolk, VA. 27 July for its inaugural deployment following commissioning in March. Her crew consists of a mix of U.S. Navy Sailors and Military Sealift Command civilian mariners.
    US Navy photo # 200727-N-PW494-0160 from U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa / U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs    		 Lee Wahler
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880412    		 197k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) participates in a photo exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, 20 August 2020.
    US Navy photo by MCSA Conner Foys    		 Bob Haner
    Hershel W. Williams
    098826    		 210k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) conducts passing and communications exercises with Senegalese naval counterpart OPV Kedougou in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Senegal, 21 September 2020.
    U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa Photo by SGT. Megan Roses    		 Robert Hurst
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880422
    200930-M-JH926-139    		 206k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) front, conducts maneuvers during a maneuvering exercise with Nigerian Navy ships NNS Prosperity (P21), center, and NNS Okpabana (F93) in the Gulf of Guinea, 30 Sept. 2020. Hershel “Woody” Williams is on its inaugural deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa area of responsibility in support of maritime missions and special operations.
    U.S. Marine Corps photo # 200930-M-JH926-139 by Sgt. Megan Roses USMC.    		 Robert Hurst
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880421
    201017-M-JH926-010    		 143k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) in the Atlantic Ocean, 17 October 2020, during her inaugural deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa area of responsibility in support of maritime missions and special operations.
    U.S. Marine Corps photo 201017-M-JH926-010, 201017-M-JH926-303, 201017-M-JH926-306 and 201017-M-JH926-301 by Sgt. Megan Roses, USMC.    		 Robert Hurst
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880428
    201017-M-JH926-303     		197k
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880429
    201017-M-JH926-306    		 153k
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880431
    201017-M-JH926-301.    		 170k
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880414    		 143k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Tommy Trampp
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880415    		 25k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Tommy Trampp
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880430    		 230k BMSN Jonathan Arevalo, left, and BMSN Jorge Loli conduct search and rescue swimmer training fromUSS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4) in the Mediterranean Sea, 16 May 2021. Hershel “Woody” Williams is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national interests and security in Europe and Africa.
    U.S. Navy photo # 210516-N-GW139-2357 by MC2 Eric Coffer    		 Robert Hurst
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880417    		 86k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) arriving at Palma de Mallorca, Spain, 2 July 2021. Photo by Jose Antonio Rodriguez Carreño
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880419    		 209k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) moored at Palma de Mallorca, Spain, 2 July 2021. Photos by Jose Antonio Rodriguez Carreño
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880418    		 62k
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880416    		 147k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) moored at Palma de Mallorca, Spain, 2 July 2021. Photo by Santy Bañado
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880423    		 144k The Royal Canadian Navy ships HMCS Goose Bay (MM-707) and HMCS Moncton (MM-708) participate in a passing exercise with USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB-4), in the Atlantic Ocean, 20 March 2022. Hershel "Woody" Williams is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national interests and security in Europe and Africa.
    U.S. Navy photo # 220320-N-TI693-1166, by MC1 Fred Gray IV.    		 Robert Hurst
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880424
    220601-N-PJ626-0153    		 112k USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB-4) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) sail in formation with Algerian Navy corvette Ezzadjer, Italian Navy patrol boat Vega, Italian Coast Guard patrol ship Luigi Dattilo, Mauritanian Navy vessel Nimlane, Moroccan Navy offshore vessel Bir Anzaran (P341), and during exercise Phoenix Express 2022 in the Mediterranean Sea, 1 June 2022.
    U.S. Navy Photo #'s 220601-N-PJ626-0153 and , 220527-N-PJ626-0107 by MC2 Kaila Peters, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet.     		Robert Hurst
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880425
    220527-N-PJ626-0107    		 167k
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880427    		 255k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) underway, date and location unknown. U.S. Navy photo Robert Hurst
    Hershel W. Williams
    09880432    		 292k USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) and USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB-3) sail alongside one another in the Gulf of Aden, 26 July 2022. Hershel “Woody” Williams is rotationally deployed to the U.S. Naval Forces Africa area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet, to defend U.S., allied and partner interests.
    U.S. Air Force photo # 220726-F-LN908-0213, by Staff Sgt. Dylan Murakami, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet. This image was originally posted to Flickr by CNE CNA C6F at https://flickr.com/photos/94966166@N02/52247174486    		 Robert Hurst
    There is no DANFS history available for USNS Hershel Woody Williams (T-ESB-4) at NavSource
    Commanding Officers
    USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) Blue
    01CAPT. Gray, Jr., David L. USN 7 March 2020 - 25 July 2021
    02CAPT. Graham, Chad William, USN (USNA 1998)25 July 2021 - April 2023
    03CAPT. Lindahl, Amy E. USN April 2023 -  
    Commanding Officers
    USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB-4) Gold
    01CAPT. Concannon, Michael Evans, USNJuly 2020 - 25 November 2022
    02CAPT. Mitchell, Lenard C., USN25 November 2022 -  
    Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) Fact Sheet
    Navy Fact File - Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB)
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    Last Updated 5 January 2024