Navy commissions future Expeditionary Sea Base USS John L. Canley

The Navy commissioned the future USS John L. Canley (ESB 6) as the newest Expeditionary Sea Base ship (ESB) during a ceremony Saturday, Feb. 17, in Coronado, California.

The commissioning ceremony's principal address was delivered by the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy with remarks provided by General Joseph P. Dunford, Jr., 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps; Sergeant Major Carlos Ruiz, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps; and David Carver, President of General Dynamics NASSCO. The ship's sponsor is Patricia Sargent, Sgt. Maj. Canley's daughter.

Built by General Dynamics NASSCO, currently there are six delivered ships across two variants: Expeditionary Transfer Dock (ESD) and Expeditionary Sea Base. The future USS John L. Canley (ESB 6) is a highly flexible platform used across various military operations. When commissioned, the ship will be employed as a mobile sea-based asset. It’ll be a part of the critical access infrastructure supporting the deployment of forces, equipment, supplies, and warfighting capability.

The first of its name, the ship honors United States Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. John L. Canley, Ret., who was awarded the Medal of Honor 50 years after his actions during the Battle of Hue City. Canley served as Company Gunnery Sergeant, Company A, First Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division in the Republic of Vietnam from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, 1968. Sgt. Maj. Canley passed away in Bend, Oregon May 11, 2022.

ESB 6 joins the USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3), USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4), USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) which support a variety of maritime-based missions, including Special Operations Forces (SOF) and Airborne Mine Counter Measures (AMCM). ESBs have a four-spot flight deck, mission deck, and hangar, designed around four core capabilities: aviation facilities, berthing, equipment staging support, and command and control assets. Follow-on ships Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7) and Hector A. Cafferata Jr. (ESB 8) are under construction. The commissioning of ESBs provides combatant commanders greater operational flexibility to employ this platform in accordance with the laws of armed conflict.