The officers assigned to Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) participated in a maritime interoperability planning event with leaders from the Nigerian Navy on 7 August
Hershel “Woody” Williams will participate in a three-day at sea training exercise with Nigerian offshore patrol vessels and members of Ghana’s Special Boat Squadron (SBS).
Captain Chad Graham, Hershel “Woody” Williams’ commanding officer, also met with the chief of operations for the Nigerian Navy Western Naval Command (WNC), Commodore Daupreye Franklin Matthew, to discuss their shared commitment to a peaceful, well-policed Gulf of Guinea.
“Maritime engagements that include many navies working together really improve our interoperability and collective capability, which are absolutely necessary for a busy area such as the Gulf of Guinea,” Graham said. “We’re happy to be working with our Nigerian partners to plan our at-sea multinational engagements, and we’re looking forward to a successful event that demonstrates our commitment to maritime security in the region.”
While visiting Lagos, Sailors assigned to Hershel “Woody” Williams will also help paint Lagos State Model Nursery and Primary School Achakpo Ajegunle, as well as play sports with members of the Nigerian Navy.
USS Hershel “Woody” Williams is the first warship permanently assigned to the U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility. The U.S. shares a common interest with African partner nations in ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation on the waters surrounding the continent, because these waters are critical for Africa’s prosperity and access to global markets.
