USS New York in NYC

First responders and 9/11 victims' families gathered on shore to witness this poignant and historic moment. USS New York, LPD-21, was designed to take the war to the terrorists. And wherever she goes, she will lead with a piece of New York City. Seven and a half tons of scrap steel recovered from the World Trade Center wreckage has been melted down and forged into the ship's bow stem.

As she came abeam Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center Twin Towers, she came to All Stop. The ship dipped her colors (lowered the American flag to half-mast), and Marines onboard rendered a 21-gun salute in tribute to all those who died on September 11, 2001, in the most deadly terrorist attack on American soil.

The ship will be docked at Pier 88, near the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum, through Veterans Day, and will be commissioned into active naval service in a pierside ceremony on November 7. Due to space constraints, attendance at the commissioning ceremony is by invitation only.

During her visit to the Big Apple, the ship will be open for public visits on several days. Two receptions are scheduled for 9/11 families and first responders.

Approximately 13 percent of USS New York's first crew, known as Plank Owners, are native New Yorkers who requested assignment to the ship. They feel a special pride in serving on this namesake ship. The ship's captain, Commander Curt Jones, is a native of Binghamton, New York.

New York was built at the Northrop Grumman shipyard in Avondale, Louisiana, 12 miles upstream the Mississippi River from New Orleans. She survived her first battle as Hurricane Katrina ravaged the New Orleans area in 2005. Approximately 1200 ship workers, despite having lost their homes, felt such an affinity for this special ship that they sent their families to other locations and stayed behind to continue work on the New York.

En route from Louisiana to New York City, the ship stopped just off the coast of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where she conducted surface and air onloads Friday in preparation for today's arrival in New York. The onloaded equipment, which will remain onboard for static display during the NYC port visit included landing craft air cushions (LCACs), CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters, AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters, UN-1N Huey helicopters, and an MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. The Osprey and some of the helicopters can be seen on the flight deck in this photo.

Related pages:

USS New York (LPD-21), built with scrap steel from the Twin Towers.

At her christening ceremony, USS New York (LPD-21)is already demonstrating her toughness.

USS New York sets sail for commissioning in New York City.

USS New York arrives in New York. Click the link for ship's visit schedule.

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We Remember

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