FReeper Canteen~USS New York~11 Sept 08

Various internet | Canteen Crew

[AZamericonnie]

The Freeper Canteen Presents

The USS New York (LPD-21)

Commissioning Unit New York (LPD-21), the fifth ship in the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, is the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the state of New York. The ship was designed to deliver a fully-equipped battalion of 700 Marines.

The ship is the first to be fully designed from the CAD-screen up to support all three of the Marines' primary mobility capabilities—Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), Landing Craft, Landing Craft Air Cushioned vehicle and the MV-22 Osprey.

This photo was taken shortly after the Christening Ceremony on March 1st of 2008.

Shortly after September 11, 2001, Governor of New York George E. Pataki wrote a letter to Secretary of the Navy Gordon England requesting that the Navy bestow the name USS New York on a surface warship involved in the War on Terror in honor of September 11's victims. In his letter, the Governor said he understood state names are currently reserved for submarines, but asked for special consideration so the name could be given to a surface ship. The request was approved August 28, 2002.

Coincidentally, a previous holder of the name, USS New York (BB-34), had its keel laid on September 11, 1911, exactly 90 years to the day before the World Trade Center was attacked.

Twenty-four tons of the steel used in its construction came from the small amount of rubble from the World Trade Center actually preserved for posterity. Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down at Amite Foundry and Machine in Amite, Louisiana to cast the ship's bow section. It was poured into the molds on September 9, 2003. With seven tons melted down and cast to form the ship's "stem bar"—part of the ship's bow. The shipyard workers reportedly treated it with "reverence usually accorded to religious relics", gently touching it as they walked by. One worker actually delayed his retirement after 40 years work in order to be a part of the project.

Amite, La. (Sept. 9, 2003) -- Workers pour molten steel into a mold to form the bow stem of the Amphibious Transport Dock ship USS New York (LPD 21). In the foreground a previously cast bow stem can be seen as an example of what the New York bow stem will resemble. About 24 tons of steel was salvaged from the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Approximately 10-percent of the steel was lost when the foundry superheated the 48,780 pounds of steel to 2,850 degrees Fahrenheit. U.S. Navy photo Photographer's Mate 2nd Class George Trian.

On September 9, 2004, the Secretary of the Navy announced that two of her sister ships will be named Arlington and Somerset, in commemoration of the places two of the other planes used in the attack came down: Somerset County, Pennsylvania and Arlington, Virginia.

The contract to build New York was awarded to Northrop Grumman Ship Systems of New Orleans, Louisiana in 2003. New York was under construction in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina.

Areal view of the keel laying ceremony at Northrop Grummans Shipbuilding Facility in Avondale LA. on September 10, 2004

The prospective commanding officer is Commander F. Curtis Jones, a native of Binghamton, New York.

New York was christened on March 1, 2008, in a ceremony at Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dotty England, the ship’s sponsor, smashed the traditional champagne bottle on the ship’s bow and christened the ship New York. Several dignitaries were in attendance, including Louisiana Congressman William J. Jefferson, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, members of the New York Police Department and New York Fire Department, and family members of 9/11 victims. The champagne bottle did not break the first time it was struck against the hull of the ship, but the second attempt was successful.

Dotty England smiles after breaking a bottle of champagne against the hull of the New York in christening ceremonies at Northrop Grumman shipyard in Avondale, La., Saturday, March 1, 2008.

The ship commissioning of USS New York, is planned to take place in the fall of 2009

~~Videos~~

"God bless this great ship, God bless all our veterans … and those who every day defend our freedoms and liberties, and may God continue to bless America."
Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England

[AZamericonnie]

Tx.....that tribute really should have radio airplay!

How long did it take you to make?

Outstanding.....

[Tanniker Smith]

It was a little cooler today. Fall should be here to stay and we’ll be turning the AC soon, I hope.

[Tanniker Smith]

I posted this on another thread, but in case folks don't see that one:



At about 8:40am on that morning, I was walking into the Court building on Adams Street (actually, the Court St. entrance) in Downtown Brooklyn to start serving jury duty.

As luck would have it, I had been halfway to the train station before I'd realized that I'd left my Walkman on the kitchen table, so I didn't bother going back for it. I figured I'd just get a newspaper. Besides, I didn't know how well I'd be able to pick up AM inside the building anyway.

I sat in a dark room watching a video on How to Be a Good Juror, oblivious to what was going on right across the river. We were told to relax in the room that they have and I looked out the window at the Marriot Hotel. Traffic on Adams St was snarled, not moving. Must've been an accident on the Brooklyn Bridge, I thought. (It was a block away.)

People were standing around outside the hotel. Must be waiting for a tour bus or something. What did I know.

Fire trucks and ambulances started flying by on the wrong side of Adams Street, which had no traffic. Okay, traffic doesn't come into Brooklyn much in the morning, but something was odd here. I had been facing 180 degrees from where I needed to be looking.

Finally, they had made an announcement. America was at war, under attack. The World Trade Center and the Pentagon had been destroyed. The were trying to get coverage on the TV sets in the jury rooms. I don't think they succeeded. Even if they wanted to, only CBS would be available because it still broadcast from the Empire State Building.

People were beside themselves, many broke down, everyone was rushing for the payphones. I met a woman who had been listening to her radio. She let me share her earbuds. She was shaken and needed a cigarette. I don't smoke, but I walked her to the smoking room. (There was one on the floor. Quite a few people were there.)

We were dismissed. Not much was going to get done in the Court building that week. Groups of people huddled outside with questions, comments, gossip and hearsay. Some of the lawyers said they saw it happen. What kind of plane was it?

Does anyone know if the trains are running? What about the buses? No trains. No LIRR. A few buses and they're all packed. It was time to start walking and no one wanted to walk alone. We walked in groups.

Dust was falling from the sky in downtown Brooklyn like a dirty snow that was covering the cars. Papers fell too. We started walking up Atlantic Avenue. People were wondering around with their cell phones out trying to get a signal. no luck.

We took a turn down Third Avenue. I needed to. I wanted to stop at my mother's house. It was a good resting point for me. The group I'd tagged along with decided to join me. One guy stopped in a hardware store for masks and passed them out.

When we passed Third St and reached the Gowanus Canal, we had our first real look. It was like a scene out of a bad movie. The skyline was there. But the Towers were missing. Just a terrible column of smoke and a cloud drifting our way.

We didn't stay long. We kept walking. I made it to my mother's house and said good-bye to the others. Some were walking all the way to Staten Island. One who had joined our group had walked over the Brooklyn Bridge -- after having walked down 50 floors of Tower 1. God was looking out for him.

I watched some of the coverage until the trains were running again. I took one that left me about a mile or so from my inlaws, the meeting place for the rest of the family. I stopped in at St. Athanasius on the way. I hadn't been there since a wedding about 15-20 years earlier. I stayed for a little while and walked the rest of the way.

Thankfully, my wife, who worked at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge on the Manhattan side had evacuated immediately before the trains had stopped running.

It's not a walk that I'll forget ever forget.

TS

[MeekMom]

Good on you hon.
Keep up the good work! :)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Congratulations, Seven, on your graduation!!

It's been a long road, but you stuck with it!!

w h!!

[laurenmarlowe]

One of our darkest days, tx. You saw it through a soldier’s eyes, thank you for sharing your thoughts and emotions.

And thank you for serving our Country tx, and to all our Troops, THANK YOU and God Bless America!

[AZamericonnie]

Happy 5th anniversary you two & wishing you a lifetime of love & happiness! *Hugs*

[txradioguy]

I started two weeks prior to the first anniversiary of 9/11.

Cried through the whole process.

If Luv W can remember to call Mike and Dana at Kicks 99 tomorrow...they will play it.

They have a copy.

[AZamericonnie]

Breathing room is good....but so gratfull your business is good! (Lucy needs kibbles dontcha know):)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, tx....your timeline is such a reminder. We will never forget.

[AZamericonnie]

Strychnine?????

LOL....I just might need some clarification regarding that post!!!

[AZamericonnie]

Thank you for your service Tx.....we can rest at night because of those like you.

[Kathy in Alaska]

lauren...((HUGS))...are you catching up before the next round starts? How is your holly doing? Hearing rumblings about Ike?

[BIGLOOK]

Aloha Connie!



( Just the Oyster Bar at Grand Central, the delis and bakeries, the pubs and restaurants, The Statue of Liberty, the USS Intrepid.....and now the Gator Freighter!)

[TASMANIANRED]

Thank you, Russ.

Evening.

[txradioguy]

Thanks you two.

I just figure it’s the least I can do for the privilege of living in this great country.

[laurenmarlowe]

Happy Birthday Chris!!

[TASMANIANRED]

Evening Kathy, Hugs.

[TASMANIANRED]

Evening QT pi.

[TASMANIANRED]

Evening Meeky, Hugs.