U.S.S. New York Arrives in Namesake CIty

The U.S.S. New York, made with steel salvaged from the wreckage of the Twin Towers, arrived on Monday in New York City. A detail aboard the 684-foot, $1.2-billion amphibious assault vessel fired a 21-gun salute from the fantail of the ship as it paused for a moment in the waters off Ground Zero.

Families of 9/11 victims, first responders, as well as the general public gathered Monday at a waterfront viewing area. The vessel arrived in New York Harbor, right on time, Nov. 2nd.

The USS New York's bow is built from 7.5 tons of World Trade Center steel. The ship docked "at home" at 9:59 AM when it moored to Pier 88. An official commissioning ceremony is scheduled for Saturday.

The ship can carry as many as 800 Marines. Its flight deck can handle helicopters as well as the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.

The U.S.S. New York is the fifth in the line of San Antonio-class amphibious dock vessels. Four vessels in that class are already in service (the USS San Antonio, USS New Orleans, USS Mesa Verde and USS Green Bay). Four others are being built, of which two are also have been named in connection with the Sept. 11 attacks.

Those two are the USS Somerset, which is named after the county in Pennsylvania where United Airlines flight 93 crashed, and the USS Arlington, which is named to honor the Sept. 11 attack on the Pentagon.

After commissioning, the U.S.S. New York will be stationed at the Naval base in Norfolk, Virginia.