On March 7, 2020, THOR employee Jennifer Bougher attended the commissioning of the USS HERSHEL “WOODY” WILLIAMS, Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB 4). The ESB ship class is a highly flexible platform that may be used across a broad range of military operations supporting multiple operational phases. It is the centerpiece of the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed Airborne Mine Countermeasures Mission (AMCM). It acts as a mobile sea base and supports the operations and maintenance of airborne mine countermeasures detachment personnel and equipment.

ESB 4’s namesake is Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4) Hershel Woodrow “Woody” Williams U.S. Marine Corps (Retired), who was in attendance and spoke during the ships commissioning. Williams was born in 1923 in West Virginia. He attempted to join the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943 and was rejected due to his short stature. A few months later, the height requirements were reduced, and he was able to join in May. He was trained to be a demolition sergeant. On October 30, 1943, he became a part of the 32nd Replacement Battalion, which was sent to fight in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Williams fought in the battle to retake Guam in the summer of 1944 before being sent to Iwo Jima. Williams’ reserve unit was sent ashore 2 days after the battle started, on February 21, 1945.

The land was incredibly difficult to maneuver and the tanks had trouble opening a lane for the infantry through the sand, but one of the biggest problems was the many steel-reinforced “pillboxes,” now known as bunkers. Williams had initially been one of several demolition sergeants, but by February 23, 1945, he was the only one left. He bravely volunteered to go forward as the last flamethrower attempt to quell the devastating machine-gun fire from the pillboxes. Within four hours, Williams, with the help of four riflemen providing cover fire, managed to wipe out seven machine-gun pillboxes. “That made a hole big enough that [the company] could go through and get behind any other pill-boxes that were in that area,” Williams said. “Once you got behind the pillboxes, then we had the advantage.” Williams’ efforts were central in neutralizing one of the most fanatically defended Japanese strongholds his unit confronted. For his actions, Williams received the Medal of Honor, presented by President Harry S. Truman, during a ceremony at the White House on October 5, 1945.

Captain David Gray, Commanding Officer of USS HERSHEL” WOODY” WILLIAMS (ESB 4) BLUE, escorted Mr. Williams on tour of his namesake ship. During the tour, Captain Gray showed Mr. Williams a display case with a replica of the Medal of Honor, which at the time was still hanging from Mr. Williams’ neck. Mr. Williams quickly removed his own medal and handed it to Captain Gray, indicating that the real medal should be with the ship.

The USS HERSHEL “WOODY’ WILLIAMS left Naval Station Norfolk for its inaugural deployment, July 27, 2020.