The newest Navy ship the assault ship USS New York pays Visit to Ground Zero

The newest Navy ship the assault ship USS New York, built with World Trade Center steel, arrived in its namesake city today with a 21-gun salute near the site of the 9/11 2001 terrorist attacks.The ship was met by first responders, September 11th victim’s families and the public who gathered at a waterfront viewing area, where they could see the crew standing at attention along the deck of the battleship gray vessel. The big ship nearly 700 feet long paused as shots were fired, in three bursts.The bow of the $1 billion ship, built at Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans, contains about 7.5 tons of steel from the fallen towers.The brand new one-billion-dollar vessel sailed up the Hudson River past ground zero in tribute to the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

In 2002, the U S Navy decided to honor New York state, New York City and the victims of 9/11 by naming a soon-to-be-built assault vessel the USS New York. Using 7.5 tons of steel I-beams salvaged from the World Trade Center wreckage were melted and formed to make the ship’s “bow stem,” the leading edge of the ship that connects the bow to the hull. The USS New York is the fifth ship of the Navy’s new San Antonio class of assault ships that will be able to carry a landing force of 800 marines, aircraft and landing equipment. The ship carries a crew of 360 sailors.

Of the 361 sailors serving aboard the USS New York, 13 percent are from New York state, which is higher than would normally be the case. After the ground zero stop, the ship escorted by about two dozen tugboats and other vessels headed up the Hudson River toward the George Washington Bridge. After a U-turn there, it was to head south to Pier 88 near the Intrepid Space and Air Museum .The official commissioning ceremony is scheduled for Saturday.

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