USNS Hershel “Woody” Williams (TESB-4) Coat of Arms
Special Commissioning Event Publication
This coming March, the United States Navy will commission USNS HERSHEL “WOODY” WILLIAMS (T-ESB 4) in honor of Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Hershel “Woody” Williams, a Marine who is the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient to have fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Williams will be present as the guest of honor.
The commissioning will be held at Norfolk Naval Station and the United States Navy League, Hampton Roads chapter is organizing the event. Due to a long-standing relationship, Navy League Hampton Roads will once again partner with Faircount to produce the commissioning publication.
Unusually, USNS HERSHEL “WOODY” WILLIAMS is already in service: quite simply the commissioning had to wait because the ship was urgently required. But finally, a date has been set for this important ceremony.
Due to the sudden, last-minute announcement of the event, we are moving quickly to write, design and publish this special edition and, as you are aware, Faircount Media Group is also publishing a book for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima with the Iwo Jima Veterans Association which will include a recently conducted interview Williams.
Select companies are being invited to take one of the few messages to be included in the commissioning publication.
FULL-PAGE IN DIGITAL AND PRINT EDITION
$5,000.00 net
HALF-PAGE IN DIGITAL AND PRINT EDITION
$3,000.00 net
QUARTER PAGE IN DIGITAL AND PRINT EDITION
$2,000.00 net
Alternatively, please call us direct at +1 (813) 675-3873 or email lawrence.roberts@faircount.com
ABOUT THE SHIP
U.S. Navy photo by Bill Mesta
The Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) ship class is a highly flexible platform that may be used across a broad range of military operations supporting multiple operational phases. USNS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) along with its fellow ships in its class are operated by the Military Sealift Command and are optimized to support a variety of maritime-based missions including Special Operations Force (SOF) and Airborne Mine Counter Measures (AMCM). The ESBs include a four-spot flight deck, mission deck and hangar, are designed around four core capabilities: aviation facilities, berthing, equipment staging support, and command and control assets.
ABOUT THE EVENT
Friday Evening
Celebration Reception
This invitation-only reception is a tradition that offers guests from the military, business, and political communities the opportunity to toast and celebrate the pending commissioning along with crewmembers, their families and friends.
Saturday Morning
Pre-Commissioning Breakfast
Held the morning of the commissioning, this gathering brings platform guests and VIPs together prior to the main ceremony to begin networking and socializing while being briefed on what to expect during the commissioning event. Upon completion, guests are transported to the ship for seating.
Saturday Afternoon
Commissioning Ceremony
An official United States Navy event, the commissioning is a well-established Navy tradition -the official transfer of a warship from the shipbuilder to the United States Navy. Everyone in attendance will become part of that history.
Post-Commissioning Reception
Following the official commissioning ceremony, guests are escorted to the post-commissioning reception, where refreshments, photo opportunities, and overall goodwill prevail.
Christening and commissioning are two very different ceremonies. Once a vessel is christened with the traditional champagne, she slides down into the water and enters the final phases of construction. After the vessel has completed rigorous testing and sea trials, the shipbuilder then deems the ship capable of performing her designed mission and prepared to join the fleet. Attended by heads of state, dignitaries, public officials, and media, the grand commissioning ceremony culminates with the raising of the commissioning pennant to signify that the ship is a ship of war, and is flown until the ship is decommissioned.