Navy will name two ships after Sept. 11 crash sites

http://www.pilotonline.com ^

[jseth]

WASHINGTON — The Navy announced it will name two planned ships after the places where two of the planes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001, crashed.

The Arlington will be named for Arlington, Va., where the Pentagon is. The Somerset will be named for the county in Pennsylvania where it is believed hijackers deliberately crashed their plane after passengers rose up against them.

The ships are amphibious transport docks, the eighth and ninth of the San Antonio class. Each will have a crew of 363 people and will be capable of carrying 699 Marines.

The Arlington and Somerset will be built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in New Orleans, the Navy said.

“The courage and heroism of the people aboard those flights, and in the Pentagon, will never be forgotten by the American people, and as these ships engage in combating terrorism, they will leave a legacy that will never be forgotten by those wishing to do harm to this country,” said Navy Secretary Gordon England in announcing the names of the vessels.

An earlier ship of the same class was named New York after the site of the World Trade Center attacts.

[martin_fierro]

Hull #LPD 24 & 25?

[Jeff Head]

In my Dragon's Fury Series novels, I name an aircraft carrier the Shanksville in honor of Flight 93.

It ends up playing a crucial role in the war that arises out of current events in those fictional novels.

I am sure that these San Antonio class ships will play an equal role in the reality of the war we are engaged in.

God bless all of those who serve...and God bless all of us to support them in the defense of liberty.

[risk]

bump

[Thrusher]

That's just awesome. Glad to see there are still a lot of decent people in the Navy brass.

[ProudVet77]

I almost feel sorry for the bad guys. Marines don't like being penned up on a ship like this. They are more than happy to be out there on a beach shooting at bad guys.

[eyespysomething]

bump

[SoCal Pubbie]

Notice the two hovercraft landing craft located in the hold toward the stern of the ship? I was in Oceanside yesterday and got a quick glimpse of these machines off the 5, as one always does when traveling that freeway. The motto of the unit is "no beach out of reach". Is there a similar facility on the east coast?

[buccaneer81]

I doubt if you're going to see Ospreys on the finished ships.

[Professional Engineer]

Ping, er, Splash!

[Soaring Feather]

Enya with recording of World Trade Center being attacked.

[Not A Snowbird]

I was in Oceanside yesterday and got a quick glimpse of these machines off the 5, as one always does when traveling that freeway.

Cool, isn't it? I loved going through there watching the guys do their stuff when I commuted from Orange County to San Diego...

[airborne]

Hey Jeff. Does Waldenbooks carry your 'Dragon's Fury' books?

[Jeff Head]

For the printed versions, at Walden you'd have to order them in and use the ISBN numbers.

Amazon, Barnes & Noble (online) and Powells all carry them online.

Here they are at Amazon (make sure you choose the printed versions)

Here they are at Barnes & Noble

Here they are at Powells

[airborne]

Thanks. Any discount for buying the series? ;^)

[Fruitbat]

They should put out another carrier the likes of the Ronald Reagan and name it "The Twin Towers."

[Fruitbat]

...or perhaps just "Twins"

[A.A. Cunningham]

Be patient, your doubt will be proven wrong.

[A.A. Cunningham]

LCAC

[SoCal Pubbie]

I skimmed over the article but form what i gathered, and my own guesses, these craft would not likely be use in a heavily opposed landing. Is that correct?