The Navy commissioned the USS John L. Canley, its newest warship, in a ceremony held in Coronado, California, on Feb 17. The 784-foot Expeditionary Sea Base class ship serves as a flexible tool for a broad spectrum of maritime operations, according to the Navy.
“This crew is proud to serve on the newest warship in the United States Navy and to carry on the courageous legacy of Sergeant Major Canley and of those who have gone before us to repel tyranny and to preserve freedom around the world,” Cmdr. Michelle Martinez, the executive officer of the USS John L. Canley, said.
Designed as a mobile sea base, the USS Canley supports amphibious assaults, special operations, mine countermeasures and humanitarian missions.
“It features two large davits for launching manned and unmanned surface vessels, features space for mission modules, as well as aviation mine hunting gear capable of being towed by the MH 53 echo helicopters.” Capt. Thomas Mays, the commanding officer of the USS John L. Canley, said of the ship.
Mays described the ship as “a large command and control platform for sea basing Marines and special forces.”
The warship also boasts the Navy’s third-largest flight deck, offering 55,000 square feet for aerial operations and the ability to host four helicopter missions simultaneously. Lt. Bo Merritt, operations and air officer, underscored the ship’s capacity to support various military aircraft, including CH-53 Sea Stallions, MV-22 Ospreys and both variants of the Seahawk helicopters.
The USS John L. Canley honors retired Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. John Canley, who received the Medal of Honor in 2018 for his bravery during the Battle of Hue City in the Vietnam War.
“My father understood that greatness is not achieved by the individual; it is achieved by the courageous acts of the many,” Canley’s daughter — the ship’s sponsor — said at the commissioning.
Looking ahead, the Navy reported that the Canley crew will spend the next year completing the remaining certifications needed before deploying to the Western Pacific next summer, ready to serve and protect on the world’s oceans.
