The USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) will shortly stopover in Malta for several weeks to undergo maintenance works that will ensure it complies with safety of life at sea and environmental protection requirements.
The ship is forward deployed to Souda Bay, Greece, is the first U.S. Navy ship assigned to the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) area of operations to conduct missions in the Mediterranean and the waters around East, South, and West Africa to include the Gulf of Guinea, operating with regional partners. This is a maiden port call for the ship to Malta and a very interesting one as the vessel has only been commissioned in March 2020.
The ship’s maintenance visit, the second of its kind in the past year, promotes the maritime partnership between the United States and Malta, while also contributing significantly to the Maltese economy. The United States appreciates the technical expertise, offered to the USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4) in Malta, which is not available in many other locations.
The USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4) sails to Malta following its participation in the emergency response to the devastating earthquake in Turkey. The ship’s crew delivered disaster relief supplies, including 100 pallets of supplies consisting of hygiene products, clothes, blankets, cots, comfort kits and more.
USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4), a Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary sea base, provides dedicated support for airborne mine countermeasures, expeditionary missions, counter piracy, maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and is crewed by a hybrid team of military service members and Military Sealift Command (MSC) civil service mariners (CIVMARs). Captain Lenard Mitchell is the Commanding Officer.
