'Twin Tower' USS New York comes to NY

The USS New York

The USS New York, a state of the art warship built with steel salvaged from the World Trade Center, has arrived in New York City ahead of its official commissioning ceremony on Saturday.

Upon sailing up the Hudson River, it stopped near Ground Zero and fired a 21-gun salute in tribute to those killed in the 2001 attacks.

The USS New York is unique in the US Navy in that its bow contains 7.5 tonnes of melted steel from the towers of the World Trade Center.The ship's crest also includes images of the Twin Towers and features the colours of the city departments that first responded to the terrorist attacks in which nearly 3,000 people died.

The ship's motto is even "Strength forged through sacrifice. Never forget."

Reverence

She was built in Louisiana and was finished three weeks ago. Its trip to New York represents its maiden voyage.

According to the Associated Press, of the 361 sailors serving about the warship, about one in seven are from New York state, a higher percentage than would normally be the case, a Navy spokeswoman said. Apparently, there had been many requests from Navy personnel to serve on the ship.

The new vessel, also carries a complement of 700 Marines and assorted aircraft and hovercraft.

The USS New York has had an interesting journey thus far. She was thus named after the Governor of New York, George E. Pataki wrote a letter to Secretary of the Navy, Gordon R. England, requesting that the Navy bestow the name USS New York on a surface warship involved in the 'War on Terror' in honor of 9/11's victims shortly after the attacks. The ship, built in New Orleans, was under construction when Hurricane Katrina hit.

Apparently, the ship's stem bar, containing steel from the Twin Towers, was treated with "reverence usually accorded to religious relics". Ship workers reportedly touched it as they walked by.

The ship is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock and is the sixth ship to be named after the state of New York.

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