USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4)

- formerly USNS Hershel "Woody" Williams (T-ESB 4), formerly MLP 4 -

USS HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS is one of the Expeditionary Sea Base Ships derived from the MONTFORD POINT - class Expeditionary Transfer Docks. Initially designated as Mobile Landing Platform Ships (MLP), US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus officially announced the creation of a new ship designation effective September 4, 2015, and the HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS was redesignated ESB 4. The HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS is the first ship in the Navy named after Hershel Woodrow "Woody" Williams, a US Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II.

Delivered to the Navy as USNS HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS (T-ESB 4), she was commissioned as USS HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS (ESB 4) on March 7, 2020, in order to provide combatant commanders greater operational flexibility to employ the ship in accordance with the laws of armed conflict. HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS is crewed by US Navy personnel as well as civilian mariners from the Military Sealift Command.

General Characteristics:	Awarded: December 19, 2014
	Keel laid: December 18, 2015
	Launched: August 19, 2017
	Delivered: February 22, 2018
	Commissioned: March 7, 2020
	Builder: National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, Calif.
	Propulsion system: Diesel-Electric
	Propellers: two
	Length: 785 feet (239.3 meters)
	Beam: 164 feet (50 meters)
	Draft: 29.5 feet (9 meters)
	Light Displacement: approx. 39,900 tons
	Speed: 15 knots
	Armament: none
	Crew: approx. 34 MSC personnel plus approx. 250 military personnel (depending on mission)
	Homeport: Souda Bay, Crete, Greece

go to the end of the page

Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

Click here to view the list.

go to the end of the page

USS HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS Image Gallery:

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS under construction at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, Calif., on October 11, 2017.

The photos below were taken by Sebastian Thoma and show the HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS under construction at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, Calif., on November 10, 2017.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS under construction at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, Calif., on December 29, 2017.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USNS HERSHEL "WOODY" WILLIAMS at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on September 21, 2018.

Back to Expeditionary Sea Base Ships Page.

Back to Ships List.

Back to Selection Page.

Back to 1^st Page.