A U.S. warship built with steel from the ruins of the World Trade Center has arrived in New York. The USS New York stopped alongside Ground Zero to fire a 21-gun salute honoring those who died in the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York. Relatives of the victims, first responders, and hundreds of onlookers gathered as the ship arrived in the city. It is to be officially commissioned on Saturday.

Just after sunrise the USS New York sailed into the city, It was greeted by hundreds of onlookers.

The ship's bow contains 7.5 tons of steel from the World Trade Center, as well as images of the Twin Towers in its stern. Almost 15 percent of the crew is from New York state.

Members of New York's Police, Fire and Ambulance services saluted the ship as the New York came to a stop and fired its guns.

Grace Crowley and Peter Capretta folded a flag to remember fallen friends. "People need to remember everyday, and they need to teach their children," Crowley said.

Bill Jennings, a veteran, says he thinks it is fitting that the steel from the World Trade Center ruins is now being used to defend America.

"Knowing that there are 7 tons, nearly 8 tons of steel, from that happening, from that day makes me proud," he said.

The USS New York sailed all the way from Louisiana, taking 2 weeks to reach Manhattan.

Alison and David Sanderson traveled from New Orleans. David Sanderson inspected the ship for the Navy before it set sail. He says those who built the ship knew it was a special project.

"We handled the steel like kids with kitten gloves. It was really neat," David said. "You could just feel the sense of pride in everybody that built the ship."

The ship will be officially commissioned on Saturday, and it will be open to the public for several days. People in New York will be able to see up close the ship that bears the city's name.

USS New York (LPD-21), the fifth San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, is the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named after the state of New York. The New York has a crew of 360, and can also carry up to 700 Marines.

Too bad they added steel from WTC...it's going to melt at a lower temp and cause the entire ship to collapse!

I don't get it. How could it do a 21 gun salute if the ship has no big guns. Did it mean small arms fire?

So they built a ship, but ground zero is still a smoking hole in the ground.
Well, at least they found one use for the steel.

There's a video of the salute (well, you really can't hear anything, so maybe its not really the salute) and it sounds like the fired off some of the smaller guns on board.

EDIT:



Well, the San Antonio class ships were already being built. They just decided to make the newest one the USS New York.

But still...the only guns it has are two CIWS and missile launchers.

Seriously, this is why battleships are useful.

I wonder what it would cost to build a ww1/2 era BB. Still craploads, or less due to the technology gap.

Seriously, this is why battleships are useful.

To transport troops and materiel to the battlefield?!

The USS New York is the great avenger of the WTC attacks. With some of its steel melted and put into that ship the spirit of America lives on in this warship. I think it would be a great honor to build this ship and to serve on it.

If you look at it this way the USS New York is like a pheonix. It rose from the ashes of the WTC. It has been reborn!

Yes, that's exactly it.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-11-03-voa14.cfm



This is my new favourite ship. Actually, I've never had a favourite ship in the US Navy, but the awesomeness of this made me have one.

Seriously, this is why battleships are useful.

Well, the San Antonio class ships were already being built. They just decided to make the newest one the USS New York.

At the risk of contradicting my other comment, not when you can sink them from a hundred miles away with missiles. Yamato's 18.1 inch guns had a maximum range of 42km according to wikipedia.

Capital ships (battleships in particular) are supposed to be named after states, not landing ships.

what are kitten gloves, exactly?

Back then Carriers used to be named after great Battles we won during the American Revolution and modern times we name our Carriers after Presidents.

Depending on the era I guess.

Capital ships (battleships in particular) are supposed to be named after states, not landing ships.

What if they designed a modern equivalent?

Not all were named on battles, I think. Was there a battle called Enterprise?

Too bad they added steel from WTC...it's going to melt at a lower temp and cause the entire ship to collapse!

Don't disagree with you...perhaps New York in this case is actually New York City? I mean, they are pretty interchangeable... for a lot of people, New York City is New York.

Well, that raises a whole bunch of issues. AFAIK, a WW2 battleship (especially a Yamato-class if we're talking about those) would have more than enough armour to withstand most if not all anti-ship weaponry currently used. Though I'm probably wrong on that. And even withstanding that, they did put anti-ship missiles on the Iowas and I do recall that they developed some sort of shell that vastly extended the range of the guns. But we're basing this on WW2 battleships. What if they designed a modern equivalent?

If it were, the name would actually be "New York City." Even then, cruisers are supposed to be named after cities, not landing ships.

If it were, the name would actually be "New York City." Even then, cruisers are supposed to be named after cities, not landing ships.



A 60,000 ton displacement missile cruiser is just impractical, I guess. Too easy to sink one ship, so it's better to spread out equivalent firepower across multiple ships. The only reason battleship designs in WW2 got so huge (H44 was to be over 100,000 tons if I recall correctly) was to support bigger and bigger guns (H44, incidentally, was to have 20 inch guns).

Well, that raises a whole bunch of issues. AFAIK, a WW2 battleship (especially a Yamato-class if we're talking about those) would have more than enough armour to withstand most if not all anti-ship weaponry currently used. Though I'm probably wrong on that. And even withstanding that, they did put anti-ship missiles on the Iowas and I do recall that they developed some sort of shell that vastly extended the range of the guns. But we're basing this on WW2 battleships. What if they designed a modern equivalent?

Capital ships (battleships in particular) are supposed to be named after states, not landing ships.

If it were, the name would actually be "New York City." Even then, cruisers are supposed to be named after cities, not landing ships.

I think they've just thrown out most of the rules. The new USS Minnesota, USS Virginia and USS Illinois are all submarines. In fact, see here and here.


The first USS Minnesota was named after the river instead of the state, as was a USS Colorado and a USS Mississippi. I think they just go with a shorter name for convenience.

I'd be willing to bet that in this case, New York refers strictly to the city.

You should know perfectly well what happened to the Japanese fleet in Leyte gulf (especially Surigao Strait). Cruisers and battleships were taken out by destroyers and PT boats. The only reason we don't have anti-ship missiles capable of taking out a "modern" battleships is that there are no battleships for them to sink.

Quiet you, big guns > all.

Complete side note: Check out this Lego model of the battleship Yamato!

http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/142438

22 feet long, 3 feet wide, 330lbs! Took over 6 years to complete... damn!

Airplanes > all. Remember the Bismark, Midway, Coral Sea, Solomon Islands, etc.

There was a youtube video and at the end of it there is a little (well, big) reference. Someone better get it.



I reject your reality and substitute it with my own.

I don't get it. How could it do a 21 gun salute if the ship has no big guns. Did it mean small arms fire?

When it goes into battle mode all the cannons unfold and it's a bristling warship.

When it goes into battle mode all the cannons unfold and it's a bristling warship.

Knowing our navy, that might actually not be sarcasm.

OK, I'll give. Is it?

I was just joking, but it would certainly be cool if it were true. I hear the new stealth ships are going to be like that, with retractable armaments to reduce their radar profile.