Wayland Native Serves Aboard U.S. Navy Amphibious Warship in Japan

SASEBO, Japan (UNDATED) – Fireman Martin Beckwith a native of Wayland, Michigan, serves in Japan aboard a U.S. Navy warship. Beckwith attended Wayland Union High School and graduated in 2022.Beckwith joined the Navy 10 months ago.

“I joined the Navy to see the world and for both the education and economic benefits,” said Beckwith. Today, Beckwith serves as an engineman aboard USS Green Bay. Skills and values learned in the Navy are similar to those found in Wayland. “Growing up, I learned to stick with it, never give up learning and to always be prepared,” said Beckwith.

USS Green Bay is an amphibious warship. These types of ships embark, transport and land U.S. Marines for a variety of warfare missions. Because of their inherent capabilities, these ships have been and will continue to be called upon to support humanitarian and other contingency missions on short notice, according to Navy officials.

As a member of the Navy, Beckwith is part of a world-class organization focused on maintaining maritime dominance, strengthening partnerships, increasing competitive warfighting capabilities and sustaining combat-ready forces in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“The Navy is everywhere on the globe and we are the first line of defense, ” said Beckwith. “Our adversaries have to cross the water to attack us.”

Beckwith serves in Japan as part of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces. These naval forces operate with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Service members in this region are part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, which has the largest area of responsibility in the world.

“As the largest force in our nation’s front line against revisionist actors, U.S. Pacific Fleet meets this great responsibility with strength, resolve and confidence,” said Adm. Samuel Paparo, U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander. “Together with our joint and combined partner operations, we are positioned to defend – across all domains – any attempts to threaten our nation, our allies and partner’s security, freedom and well-being.”