USS James E. Williams

USS James E. Williams (DDG-95) is a Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship was named for Boatswain's mate Petty officer first class James Eliott Williams (1930–1999), a River Patrol Boat commander and Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War who is considered to be the most decorated enlisted man in Navy history. As of April 2023 the ship is part of Destroyer Squadron 26 based out of Naval Station Norfolk.[1]

USS James E. Williams on 7 December 2004
History
United States
NameJames E. Williams
NamesakeJames E. Williams
Ordered6 March 1998
BuilderIngalls Shipbuilding
Laid down15 July 2002
Launched25 June 2003
Commissioned11 December 2004
HomeportNorfolk
Identification
MottoLead from the Front
Honours and
awards		See Awards
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeArleigh Burke-class destroyer
Displacement9200 tons
Length509 ft 6 in (155.30 m)
Beam66 ft (20 m)
Draft31 ft (9.4 m)
Propulsion4 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 100,000 shp (75 MW)
Speed>30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range4,400 nmi (8,100 km; 5,100 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement32 officers and 348 enlisted
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × MH-60R Seahawk helicopters

Construction

James E. Williams had her keel laid down on 15 July 2002 by the Northrop Grumman Ship Systems at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was launched on 25 June 2003, sponsored by Elaine Weaver Williams, Chief Petty Officer Williams' widow. On 11 December 2004, James E. Williams was commissioned in Charleston, South Carolina.

Service history

On 2 May 2006, James E. Williams deployed on her maiden deployment as part of the Global War on Terrorism Surface Strike Group (GWOT SSG) 06–2. James E. Williams joined with the amphibious transport dock Trenton and guided-missile cruiser Hue City as part of a surge deployment.[2] On 17 October 2006, James E. Williams completed her first deployment conducting anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia as part of the maritime security operations.

James E. Williams deployed again on 9 July 2007 as a part of the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group. The strike group consisted of the aircraft carrier Enterprise, the destroyers Forrest Sherman, Arleigh Burke and Stout; the guided-missile cruiser Gettysburg; and the fast-attack submarine Philadelphia, along with the fast combat support ship USNS Supply.[3] On the morning of 30 October 2007, Combined Maritime Forces Headquarters, in Bahrain, received a call from the International Maritime Bureau, located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, providing the status of the North Korean cargo vessel Dai Hong Dan, which had been taken over 29 October by Somali pirates. The ship was approximately 60 nautical miles (110 km) northeast of Mogadishu, Somalia. At that time, James E. Williams was about 50 nautical miles (93 km) from the vessel and sent a helicopter to investigate the situation. The destroyer arrived in the vicinity of the Korean ship midday local time and contacted the pirates via bridge-to-bridge radio, ordering them to give up their weapons. At that point, the Korean crew had confronted the Somali pirates, regained control of the ship and began communicating with James E. Williams, requesting medical assistance. The crew said the pirates had been in control of the bridge, but the crew had retained control of the steering and engineering spaces. The crew of James E. Williams provided care and assistance for approximately 12 hours to crew members and Somali pirates aboard Dai Hong Dan. Five pirates were captured and two were killed. The pirates remained aboard Dai Hong Dan.[4]

In November 2007, James E. Williams aided the crew of the Taiwanese ship, M/V Ching Fong Hwa 168, which had also been hijacked by Somali pirates. After the pirates returned to shore, the destroyer escorted the Taiwanese ship out of Somali waters and provided needed supplies and medical assistance.[5] On 19 December 2007, she returned from her second deployment to the Fifth Fleet AOR in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.

On 20 April 2009, James E. Williams left on her third deployment in three years, deploying to the sixth and fifth Fleet areas of operations from Naval Station Norfolk as the lead element of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group. James E. Williams conducted maritime security operations in the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf regions, including working with other nations' maritime forces.[6] She returned to her homeport at Naval Station Norfolk on 19 October 2009.[7]

Dhow on fire in the Gulf of Oman on 8 August 2012.

On the evening of 8 August 2012, James E. Williams rescued ten mariners from a burning Iranian-flagged dhow (pictured) while operating in the Gulf of Oman. Of the ten mariners, eight were identified as Iranians and two were Pakistanis. The rescued mariners received medical treatment and transport to the carrier Enterprise before being repatriated back to Iran on 10 August.[8][9][10][11] James E. Williams reentered the Mediterranean Sea on 25 August.

Controversies
  • In December 2009, about six weeks after the ship returned to Norfolk from a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian seas, nine crewmembers were given non-judicial punishments for fraternization. Five of the nine were male chief petty officers while the other four were female junior enlisted sailors. Furthermore, one other crew member faced criminal charges for sexual assault. The chiefs involved were being processed for separation from the Navy. In addition, the ship's skipper, a commander, and the top enlisted sailor, a command master chief, were relieved of their positions and reassigned to shore-based administrative duties. Neither were implicated in the fraternization cases or alleged sexual assault but were removed due to a loss of confidence in their leadership. The ship's executive officer (XO), also a commander, was reassigned as the XO on the destroyer Bainbridge. He was not implicated in any of the allegations.[12][13]
  • In September 2014, it was announced the ship's commanding officer and command master chief were replaced pending an investigation into the command climate. At the time, James E. Williams was about midway through an eight-month deployment.[14] At that time, a captain from the staff of Destroyer Squadron 2, assumed command of the ship.[15]

Ports visited
James E. Williams docked in the Port of Mobile in Alabama.

During the 2014-2015 deployment, James E. Williams made port calls to Rota, Spain; Djibouti, Djibouti; Port Victoria, Seychelles; and Port Louis, Mauritius.

On 3 August 2017, the destroyer visited Trondheim Seilforening in Trondheim, Norway.

On 29 November 2017 she visited the Port of Odesa port in Ukraine.[16]

During the 2017 Deployment, the ship visited Rotterdam, Netherlands; Kiel, Germany (as a part of Kiel Week); Reykjavik, Iceland; Rota, Spain; Trondheim, Norway; Bergen, Norway; Riga, Latvia; Lisbon, Portugal; Souda Bay, Greece; Manama, Bahrain; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Odesa, Ukraine prior to returning home to Norfolk, VA on 23 December 2017. The ship's crew also earned their Blue Nose for crossing into the Arctic Circle.[17]

On 15 February 2021, James E. Williams and Colombian Navy frigate ARC Antioquia (FM-53) conducted a passing exercise in the Caribbean Sea.[18]

Awards
  • Aerial view of USS James E. Williams while underway, 2004
    Aerial view of USS James E. Williams while underway, 2004
  • Aerial view of USS James E. Williams while underway, 2011
    Aerial view of USS James E. Williams while underway, 2011
  • USS James E. Williams firing her 5-inch gun during an exercise on 12 January 2012.
    USS James E. Williams firing her 5-inch gun during an exercise on 12 January 2012.
  • View of an SH-60B Seahawk helicopter aboard USS James E. Williams' flight deck, seen from inside the ship's flight control tower on 3 May 2012
    View of an SH-60B Seahawk helicopter aboard USS James E. Williams' flight deck, seen from inside the ship's flight control tower on 3 May 2012

References
  1. "Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (SURFLANT)". surflant.usff.navy.mil. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  2. McLaurin, PHAN Mandy. "USS James E. Williams Crew Prepares For Maiden Voyage". Navy News Service. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  3. Green, MC3 James H. (8 July 2007). ""Big E" Deploys". Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  4. "USS James E. Williams Assists Crew of Pirated Vessel". Navy News Service. 31 October 2007. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  5. Martinez, Luis (5 November 2007). "U.S. Navy Triumphs Over Pirates on the High Seas". blogs.abcnews.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2010.
  6. "USS James E. Williams deploys". WAVY-TV 10. 20 April 2009. Archived from the original on 4 October 2009.
  7. Crouch, Lori (19 October 2009). "USS James E. Williams returns home". WAVY-TV 10. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011.
  8. Luis Martinez (8 August 2012). "U.S. Navy Rescues 10 From Iranian Ship on Fire". National Security. ABC News. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  9. "USS James E. Williams Rescues Iranian Mariners". NNS120808-14. Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs. 8 August 2012. Archived from the original on 19 August 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  10. "Mariners Head Home Following Rescue at Sea". NNS120810-15. Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs. 10 August 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  11. "USS James E. Williams Transfers Rescued Mariners to Iranian Vessel". NNS120811-05. Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs. 11 August 2012. Archived from the original on 16 August 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  12. Wiltrout, Kate (5 December 2009). "Destroyer CO, Master Chief Removed Over Fraternization Cases". Norfolk Virginian-Pilot.
  13. "CO,CMC,5 CPO's Fired on USS James E. Williams". Navy Times. 4 December 2009.
  14. Larter, David (16 September 2014). "Destroyer Williams' commanding officer, CMC and former XO reassigned amid investigation". Navy Times. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  15. "Simmons Assumes Command of USS James E. Williams". US Fleet Forces Command. 16 September 2014. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  16. "ВМС ЗС України". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  17. "USS Roosevelt Inducts New Sailors into the "Order of the Blue Nose"". navy.mil. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  18. "USS James E. Williams Conducts Passing Exercise with Colombian Navy". U.S. Southern Command. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
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