'Never Forget'

Ships named New York have a long and distinguished record in United States naval history going back to the first New York, a frigate, in 1800.

They have served in the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II and in peacetime. Until this year, the last ship bearing the name New York, the USS New York City, was a nuclear powered attack submarine which was decommissioned 1997.

The newest in the series is the USS New York was launched this year. This ship has a special and meaningful background.

It is partly constructed from salvaged steel from the ruins of the World Trade Center in New York City.

Governor George Putaki of New York recommended that the Navy revive the name USS New York in honor of victims of Sept. 11, 2001, and give it to a surface warship involved in the war on terror.

The request was approved in 2002.

Twenty-four tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center was used in the construction of the ship, an amphibious transport dock capable of delivering a fully-equipped battalion of slightly more than 800 in addition to a crew of 300. The ship is more than twice as long as the height of the Statue of Liberty.

Steel workers at the ship-building site in Mississippi gave the scrap special attention. Navy Capt. K. Wensing was there when it was melted and reshaped. “Those big, rough steel workers treated it with total reverence,” said Wensing. Foundry operations manager J. Chavers, speaking of when he first touched the steel, said, “Hair on my neck stood up. It had a big meaning to it for all of us.”

One worker, Tony Quaglino, was going to retire in 2004 after working at the site for 40 years. When he learned of the plans for the USS New York, he postponed his retirement.

“I put it off when I found out I could be working on the New York. This is a sacrifice and makes me very proud.” Another company foreman, G. Clement, said, “Nobody passed by that bow section without knocking on it. Everybody knows what it is made from and what it's about.”

For Patrick Carter, Sr., whose son was a victim in the South Tower, the USS New York has a special meaning. To him, the meaning is deep and personal.

“You've the very soul of the event in that mangled steel, and all of that steel which housed all the people fell along with them and they were consumed in that terrible fireball and that collapse.”

New York City firefighter Bill Butler survived on the fourth floor stairwell when the North Tower collapsed. It then took him five hours to escape.

Speaking of the USS New York, he said, “It's a great testament to the strong will of the people who died that day.”

Two sister ships to the USS New York will be built.

The USS Arlington will honor those who perished in the disaster at the Pentagon on 9/11.

The USS Somerset will honor those who perished at the site of the crash in Pennsylvania while bravely struggling with terrorists on the airplane.

The ship's motto? “Never Forget.”

Ernest Scherzer

Trout Creek