cwo_ghwebb
11-02-2009, 06:58 AM
A Navy assault ship built with steel from the fallen World Trade Center and named in honor of the city and state that were home to the twin towers is making its inaugural visit there. The USS New York was scheduled to sail up the Hudson River Monday. The $1 billion ship was built in Louisiana with about 7.5 tons of World Trade Center steel melted down and used in the bow.
As part of its journey, the ship is scheduled to stop when it nears ground zero, where first responders, families of Sept. 11 victims and the public have been invited to watch a 21-gun salute.
Rosaleen Tallon, whose firefighter brother Sean Tallon died in the attacks, planned to be among them.
"I think it's a really nice tribute," she said, adding that her brother, who also was a Marine, would be proud.
She said she was glad that steel from the fallen towers would be used in a new form.
"It's a transformation of it from something really twisted and ugly," Tallon said. "I'm proud that our military is using that steel."
Lt. Cmdr. Colette Murphy, a Navy spokeswoman, said she was excited for those serving on board to see how the city would welcome them.
"I think it's going to be awe-inspiring," she said.
Of the 361 sailors serving aboard the ship, around 13 percent are from New York state, which is higher than would normally be the case, Murphy said. There were many requests from Navy personnel to serve on the ship, which will also be carrying around 250 Marines, she said.
Ship built with WTC steel comes to namesake city - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091102/ap_on_re_us/us_uss_new_york)
Heartily approve! Should be awesome!
As part of its journey, the ship is scheduled to stop when it nears ground zero, where first responders, families of Sept. 11 victims and the public have been invited to watch a 21-gun salute.
Rosaleen Tallon, whose firefighter brother Sean Tallon died in the attacks, planned to be among them.
"I think it's a really nice tribute," she said, adding that her brother, who also was a Marine, would be proud.
She said she was glad that steel from the fallen towers would be used in a new form.
"It's a transformation of it from something really twisted and ugly," Tallon said. "I'm proud that our military is using that steel."
Lt. Cmdr. Colette Murphy, a Navy spokeswoman, said she was excited for those serving on board to see how the city would welcome them.
"I think it's going to be awe-inspiring," she said.
Of the 361 sailors serving aboard the ship, around 13 percent are from New York state, which is higher than would normally be the case, Murphy said. There were many requests from Navy personnel to serve on the ship, which will also be carrying around 250 Marines, she said.
Ship built with WTC steel comes to namesake city - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091102/ap_on_re_us/us_uss_new_york)
Heartily approve! Should be awesome!