The USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB-4) is a Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile base (ESB) operated by the United States Navy. As a sub-variant of the Montford Point-class expeditionary transfer dock (ESD), it is distinguished by its commissioned status and direct command by the Navy, contrasting with the predominantly civilian-crewed ESDs operated by the Military Sealift Command. The vessel was named in honor of Hershel W. "Woody" Williams, a Marine awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. The naming was announced by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus on 14 January 2016. Constructed by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), a division of General Dynamics, the ship's keel was laid on 2 August 2016. The vessel was christened on 21 October 2017 at NASSCO's San Diego yard and delivered to the Military Sealift Command on 22 February 2018, entering active service the same day. The ship's design allows it to serve as a versatile platform capable of supporting various military operations, including the deployment of the Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles, making it one of the few Navy ships other than Littoral Combat Ships and Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates with this capability. Commissioned in Norfolk, Virginia, on 7 March 2020, Hershel "Woody" Williams has since been deployed to Souda Bay Naval Base in the Mediterranean Sea. Its operational history includes visits to Cape Town, South Africa, in 2021 and 2022, as well as humanitarian efforts such as delivering relief supplies to Turkey following the 2023 earthquake. Notably, on 10 May 2024, the ship experienced a "soft" grounding after leaving port in Gabon, Africa. It subsequently visited Malaga, Spain, on 3 June 2024, marking its first port call there. The vessel exemplifies modern expeditionary capabilities and serves as a significant asset in U.S. naval operations worldwide.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.