At 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009 the USS New York set sail for a naval weapons station in New Jersey.  It was officially commissioned on Nov. 7, 2009 after arriving in New York on Nov. 2.  Perhaps, the traditional order of, “Man our ship and bring her to life” took on a special meaning with this particular ship.  You see, this new addition to the US Navy has already had quite a remarkable life.

The idea for the ship was initiated by former New York Governor, George E. Pataki, just after the September 11 attack on America.  He wrote a letter to Gordon R. England, Secretary of the Navy.  He asked that a warship be named USS New York as a memorial to the victims of September 11. 

The bow of the ship’s hull was cast using 7.5 tons of steel salvaged from the rubble of the World Trade Center at Ground Zero.  A small ceremony preceded the melting of the steel wreckage and it was poured into a cast.  Amite Foundry and Machine in Amite, La. were responsible for melting the steel.  The steel was poured into the molds on September 9, 2003. 

Image via Wikipedia          Steel from Ground Zero, being pored into a mold for the bow of USS New York

The project began in 2003.  The contract was given to Northrop Grumman Ship Systems.  The company is located in New Orleans, Louisiana.  It was being built there when the city was devestated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  The half-built ship survived the storm.  Unfortunately, it left a number of the workers homeless.  A “Camp Katrina” was set-up in the shipyard.  In 2006, nearly 200 workers were living in the camp.  Although or maybe in some way because many were dealing with their own personal grief, reports surfaced about the workers treating the WTC steel with an awe-inspiring reverence.     

Image via Wikipedia          USS New York being built in Avondale, La. on Aug. 16, 2006

The ship itself, along with its story, is quite inspiring.  One ofthe San Antonio class ships, LPD 21, it’s an amphibious assault ship measuring 684 feet long.  It’s capabilities include:  ability to transport 700 marines in addition to its crew of 360, ability to land those 700 marines on nearly any coastline without needing a port, speed in excess of 22 knots, ability to land and launch various aircraft, and transport 14 Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles or Amphibious Assault Vehicles.  Additionally, it’s armed with two Bushmaster II 30 mm Close-In Guns, two Rolling Airframe Missile Launchers, and ten .50 caliber M2HB machine guns.  It’s estimated at $1 billion dollars.   

Image by mudpig via Flickr          USS New York

The boat was christened on March 1, 2008 in Avondale, Louisiana.  Mrs. Dotty England, the ship’s sponsor and the wife of Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England, smashed the champagne bottle on the ship’s bow and christened it the New York.  “May God bless this ship and all who sail on her,”  she said.

Several other notables were in attendance, along with members of the NYC fire and police departments.  The victims’ family members came to watch the event, too.  A spokesman for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Bill Glenn was quoted saying, “It resurrects the ashes, so to speak, to do great things for our nation.”

Image via Wikipedia          USS New York’s christening on March 1, 2008

On August 21, 2009 it was delivered to the Navy in New Orleans.  The ship’s new skipper, Cmdr. Curtis Jones accepted it and set sail for Virginia on Oct. 13.  As it passed Ground Zero, it gave a 21-gun salute.

The commissioning took place on Nov. 7, 2009 in New York City on the Hudson River Pier.  The event was attended by many distinguished dignitaries including:  Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton; Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus; the governor of New York, David Paterson; New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg; Commandent of the Marine Corps., James T. Conway; USS New York’s skipper, Cmdr. Curtis Jones; and Admiral Gary Roughead.  Ray Mabus was quoted as saying,  “No matter how many times you attack us, we always come back.  America always comes back.  That’s what this ship represents.”

Two more San Antonio class ships, the USS Arlington and the USS Somerset, are under construction.  These two ships are going to honor the victims of the attacks on the Pentagon and United Flight 93, respectively.  Both of these ships are using salvaged materials from their respective locations to create the ships, too.  September 11, 2001 is a day that will always be remembered throughout our nation’s history.  Seeing anything worthwhile come from the ashes of the attacks, brings hope to people.  The US Navy has done a fine job of creating a lasting reminder of the unbreakable spirit of America. 

Image via Wikipedia          USS New York’s Coat of Arms – the two gray bars represent the twin Towers, along with the words “Never Forget”