WTC steel to be reshaped into bow of USS New York

The Stars and Stripes ^ | September 8, 2003 | Sandra Jontz

[demlosers]

A Navy vessel, one day to be christened the USS New York, will bring to life a fallen icon of the city that suffered most from the terrorist attacks two years ago.

On Tuesday, workers from the Amite Foundry and Machine Inc. will melt down 24 tons of steel that once formed the shell of the World Trade Center, and begin the process of resurrecting it, in a manner of speaking.

At 2,850 degrees Fahrenheit, the steel will soften. From a 50-ton capacity ladle, the melted steel will be poured into a sand mold containing an imprint for the bow-stem casting for the Navy’s next LPD San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, being built by Northrup Grumman Ship Systems.

“This symbolizes and recognizes the great courage of the people of New York. … There’s quite a symbolic link in the name, and now we’re using the steel from the World Trade Center in the forward part of the hull that literally breaks the waves,” said Fred Lash, spokesman of Naval Sea Systems Command, which oversees the construction of ships.

“The curvature of that part of the bow literally is the most forward extension of the ship and when it sails into missions in the future, it’ll be that steel up front that leads the way, and will have with it the hardness and dedication and spirit of the people of New York,” Lash said.

Each of the Navy’s LPD will be named for cities. The New York, the fifth in a planned 12-vessel series, is preceded by the lead ship San Antonio, followed by the New Orleans, Mesa Verde and then the Green Bay.

And so, there’s a somber excitement brewing in Amite, La. — and yes, you can have both simultaneously, said Wayne Peterson, spokesman for Amite Foundry and Machine.

“We feel there is a lot of emotion involved in this, and all of us feel grateful we’ve been chosen to do this work, and that’s why we’re having a ceremony to celebrate that,” Peterson said of Tuesday’s planned festivities.

“But it’s a somber excitement.”

To commemorate that somberness, that excitement, New Yorkers will travel to Louisiana to catch a glimpse of the notable process, New Yorkers such as representatives from the city fire department, Port Authority, and police department — each of which lost comrades in rescue attempts at the World Trace Center following the infamous terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Former Navy Secretary Gordon England, now the deputy secretary of the Homeland Security Department, will attend with his wife, Dotty England, the ship’s sponsor. Gov. George Pataki and city mayor Michael Bloomberg have been invited.

A year ago, England announced the decision to name the fifth amphibious transport dock ship of the San Antonio class after the Big Apple.

“This new class of ships will project American power to the far corners of the earth and support the cause of freedom well into the 21st century,” England had said.

“From the war for independence through the war on terrorism, which we wage today, the courage and heroism of the people of New York has been an inspiration. USS New York will play an important role in our Navy’s future and will be a fitting tribute to the people of the Empire State.”

[Prof Engineer]

Navy ping

[tillacum]

Neat! Wonderful decision.

[Dialup Llama]

This is the proper use of the WTC steel. I heard some awful story a while ago that the steel was being sold as scrap to make lawn chairs in India.

[paladinkc]

way, way, way COOL DUDE!

[RightWhale]

the steel was being sold as scrap to make lawn chairs in India.

The steel is being recycled. Some has already gone into new buildings.

[Jeff Head]

Artisi's conception of the San Antonio Class LPD of whihc the U.S.S. New York will be one.

The Landing Platform Dock 17, San Antonio Class, is the latest class of amphibious force ship for the United States Navy. The mission of the San Antonio Class is to transport the US Marine Corps "mobility triad" – that is, Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAAVs), air-cushioned landing craft (LCAC) and the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft – to trouble spots around the world. Construction of the first ship of 12, the San Antonio (LPD 17), began in June 2000. It was christened in July 2003 and will commission in 2005. The second ship, New Orleans (LPD 18) began construction in March 2002 and will be delivered in 2005. The third, Mesa Verde (LPD 19), began construction in August 2002. The fourth will be USS Green Bay (LPD 20) and the fifth USS New York (LPD 21). Construction of USS New York is scheduled to begin in June 2003 and will include steel salvaged from the wreckage of the World Trade Center, as a memorial to those who lost their lives in New York on September 11, 2001.

[Dialup Llama]

>The steel is being recycled. Some has already gone into new buildings.

New buildings is OK too.

[MEG33]

Great way to honor New York.

[colorado tanker]

What a fantastic idea. And a way cool ship.

[Redbob]

I think the proper use of the steel would be in rebuilding the World Trade Center, with one central spire, taller than any other in the world, flanked by two substantially shorter buildings on one side, and a single short building on the other side.

So that Arabs approaching by sea could tell immediately what we think of them.

[jwalsh07]

Only thing sweeter would be to use some of the steel in the munitions and let some Navy jockeys deliver them up front and personal.

[AmericaUnited]

Let the USS New York be the first ship to fire cruise missles into Iran.

[colorado tanker]

Using some of that steel in munitions sounds like a great idea. I'm just not enough of a metalurgist to know how feasible it is. It would be nice to send some genuine NYC metal to Osama in a bunker buster.

[dead]

One four-foot piece of a girder is the center piece of a memorial outside the firehouse in my NJ town.

[Jeff Head]

Well, they don't carry cruise missiles, and the New York will not be completed until 2006 or 2007.

But, she can land a boatload of Marines and they can open up a serious can of whup on the mullahs just the same.

Perhaps her sister ships will get that nod before she is ever completed...I hope they do, or that Iran comes down internally first.

Jeff

[SAMWolf]

Only thing sweeter would be to use some of the steel in the munitions and let some Navy jockeys deliver them up front and personal.

My thoughts too.

[SAMWolf]

Only thing sweeter would be to use some of the steel in the munitions and let some Navy jockeys deliver them up front and personal.

My thoughts too.

[snopercod]

I love this! Thanks for posting it dl!

[jwalsh07]

My thoughts too.

Vengeful minds think alike?:-}