![The expeditionary sea base USNS (later USS) Hershel "Woody" Williams during mine countermeasures equipment testing in Chesapeake Bay on September 15, 2019 (Photo: US Navy/Bill Mesta)](http://media.assettype.com/bairdmaritime%2Fimport%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F200309-7-USN.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
US Secretary of the Navy Kenneth J. Braithwaite has confirmed that a future US Navy expeditionary sea base (ESB) class ship will honour Medal of Honor recipient Marine Corps Sergeant Major (retired) John L. Canley.
Sergeant Major Canley was awarded the medal for his actions at the 1968 Battle of Hue City during the Vietnam War.
The ESB will act as a mobile sea base to support the prepositioning of equipment for use by US military forces deployed overseas. It will also be used to provide support for special operations and airborne mine countermeasures missions.