MILLINGTON, Tenn. – USS Nantucket’s commanding officer, Cmdr. William Green, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, recently completed a visit to the ship’s namesake island June 18-22.
During the four-day visit to Nantucket, Massachusetts, sailors strengthened relationships with the local community and the ship’s commissioning committee by participating in a variety of community relations events. Some of the events included visiting the Nantucket Whaling Museum, Sankaty Head Lighthouse and the Nantucket Anglers’ Club. Sailors also took a historical walking tour of the island and had a community reception at the Great Harbor Yacht Club.
Green graduated from Loyola Blakefield in 2002. Additionally, Green earned a bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2006 and a master’s degree in defense and strategic studies from the Naval War College in 2020.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Baltimore.
“In my hometown, I learned to be competitive in soccer,” Green said. “The biggest takeaway I had from my sports career is that success and teamwork depend on each other. You can’t have one without the other. From teamwork, I learned that effort can’t be selfish to be pure. Pure effort is the result of teammates who commit to the success of one another.”
Green joined the Navy 19 years ago.
“I joined the Navy following a rich history of service in my family,” Green said. “After 9/11, I was confident that my calling was to serve.”
USS Nantucket is the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear this namesake, dating back to 1863 when the first USS Nantucket, a Passaic-class single-turret monitor, was commissioned. The Passaic-class Nantucket supported the U.S. Navy’s South Atlantic Blockade and played a critical role during the Civil War.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber-optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Green has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am most proud of assuming command of the USS Nantucket,” Green said.
Green serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy means guarding the values and freedoms of democracy while providing for my family,” Green said. “Equally important to me is the opportunity to be a role model for my children through the examples I set in my career.”
Green is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I’d like to thank my grandmother, Patty King, for her love and guidance as I was growing up,” Green said.