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LITERALLY ARISING OUT OF THE ASHES OF THE SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 ATTACKS, A POWERFUL NEW WARSHIP IS COMING THAT WILL BEAR A PROUD AND ILLUSTRIOUS NAME.

BY RICHARD H. WAGNER (Originally published in the Program 103rd Anniversary Dinner, Navy League of the , New York Council, March 2006)

onight’s dinner is the kick-off of she was built upstate, her name probably a campaign leading to the refers to the State rather than the City. T commissioning ceremony for NEW YORK fought at the Battle of USS NEW YORK (LPD 21), now under Valcor Island on October 13, 1776 and construction in Louisiana. This ship will then again two days later near Crown be special not just because it will bear Point. Like the rest of Arnold's flotilla, the name of a great State and City but she was so badly damaged by these because the name for this ship was engagements that she was run aground selected in order to honor the heroes and and burnt. While these battles were victims of the September 11, 2001 tactical defeats for the Americans, they attacks on the World Trade Center. were strategic victories. The British had Accordingly, the commissioning of this planned to split New York and the ship, which will take place in New York colonies in two by proceeding down the harbor in early 2008, must be done in the lake from Canada and eventually joining best style that New York is capable of with British coming north from rendering. The New York Council is . Arnold's flotilla proud to be one of the leaders in the delayed the British advance until the campaign to focus public attention on approaching winter made it impractical this occasion and one of the organizers to continue the campaign until the next planning this week-long event. year. In the meantime, the Americans prepared and were able to defeat the The Predecessors British at the crucial battle of Saratoga. The next NEW YORK was PD 21 will be the ninth Navy ship commissioned in 1800 and was one of to bear the name NEW YORK. five built by the States for the L However, she may be the first federal government. She mounted 36 ship to be named after both the State and guns and fought in the undeclared war the City. with France and in the Barbary Coast The first NEW YORK, a gondola, was War. During the latter conflict, she met launched just as the United States was the British fleet off and received a beginning in the summer of 1776. She 17-gun salute from Vice Admiral was built by General Benedict Arnold's Horatio Nelson. Unfortunately, those troops to counter the British forces on good feelings did not last and, some 11 Lake Champlain and, given the fact that years later, the British burned the NEW

Copyright Richard H. Wagner 2006 All rights reserved. YORK at the was considered capable of operating where she had been placed in reserve. with . She saw action in the A similar fiery fate awaited the Spanish American War and, at various next ship to bear the name NEW YORK. times following that war, she was the In 1816, Congress authorized a 74-gun flagship of the U.S. Asian Fleet and the ship of the line and she was laid down at U.S. Pacific Fleet. Norfolk Navy Yard in 1820. Inasmuch Because the Navy was planning as Navy policy was to name ships of the to use the name NEW YORK for a new line after the states, this ship was named , ACR 2 was renamed after of the State of New York rather SARATOGA in 1911. Her name was than the City. Work did not proceed again changed in 1917 to ROCHESTER apace on this ship and, by the time the perhaps because the name SARATOGA Civil War broke out, she still had not was being considered for a , been completed. To prevent her from which eventually became an aircraft falling into enemy hands, Federal troops carrier (CV 3). ROCHESTER burnt the ship before Confederate forces participated in escorting seized the Navy Yard. convoys and continued in service until In 1863, work began on a screw 1933. After decommissioning she was to be named ONTARIO at the moored at in the . New York Navy Yard. However, work Like her ship of the line predecessor and was suspended on this ship shortly after despite her age, ROCHESTER was the end of the Civil War. In May 1869, scuttled by U.S. forces to prevent her she was renamed NEW YORK but like from falling into the hands of the enemy her predecessor little action was taken to in December 1941. (This ship's wooden complete her. She was sold while still figurehead bearing the great seal of the on the stocks in 1888. State of New York has been preserved The next NEW YORK broke the and can be seen at the INTREPID string of misfortune that had beset the Sea/Air/Space Museum). last two ships that had borne the name The ship that prompted the first and not only did she get to sea but she name change of ACR 2 was the had a long and productive career. battleship NEW YORK (BB 34). Indeed, she was an important step in the Although built in , there is no revitalization and modernization of the doubt that she was named after the State Navy that took place at the turn of the rather than the City as all battleships 19th century. Although she had the hull (except U.S.S. KEARSARGE (BB 5)) number ACR 2, she is considered the were named after States. Commissioned first armored . in 1914, NEW YORK served as the (ACR1 was the famous MAINE which flagship of the American battleship was re-designated as a battleship shortly squadron that was attached to the British after her construction. (BB 00)). The following America's entry 8,200 ton NEW YORK was faster than into the First World War. Between the any more powerful ship and capable of world wars, the Navy's first operational overtaking 95% of the world's merchant shipboard radar, the XAF, was installed fleet and thus was well-suited to be a aboard NEW YORK. Designed and commerce raider. However, with her built by one of tonight’s award winners, main battery of six eight guns, she the Naval Research Laboratory, the radar 2 Copyright Richard H. Wagner 2006 All rights reserved was able to detect ships at 12 and to sea on the USS NEW YORK, this aircraft at 85 miles. During World War ship will serve as a worldwide II, she did duty and provided deployable symbol of the spirit of all gunfire support for the invasions of heroes, past and present, living and North Africa, , and Okinawa. fallen, who have blessed this great city NEW YORK was one of the target ships and great state. . .The citizens of in the atomic bomb tests at America will never forget what following the war. Surviving the atomic happened in New York on September blasts, she was towed to for 11, will never forget the sacrifices of the study, and then, in 1948, towed out to brave citizens of this city and state, and sea where she withstood eight hours of the Navy and Marine Corps will never bombardment by ships and aircraft forget.” before sinking. On 10 September 2003, over The last ship to bear the name of twenty tons of steel salvaged from the either the State or the City was a Los World Trade Center were melted and Angles-class nuclear was poured into the mold for the bow stem of launched in June 1977 bearing the name the NEW YORK at Amite Foundry and NEW YORK CITY (SSN 696). She Machine Inc. in Louisiana. "A piece of served during the Cold War and until our city will travel the world in 1997 when she was decommissioned. democracy and freedom," former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani The Idea wrote in a letter read at the ceremony. Dotty England, wife of the former ith the smoke clouds still Secretary and sponsor of the NEW hanging over the World Trade YORK, said as the steel was poured into WCenter site following the the mold: “For all who will serve on September 11, 2001 attacks, Governor of USS NEW YORK, and for all who New York George E. Pataki wrote a suffered from the attacks of 9-11, let us letter to then-Secretary of the Navy never forget.” “Never forget” will be the Gordon England requesting that the motto of the ship. An additional 21,000 Navy bestow the name “USS NEW pounds of World Trade Center steel was YORK” on a surface warship involved put aside and will be made into anchor- in the War on Terror in honor of handling castings. September 11's victims. In his letter, the Later that year, the Navy Governor said he understood that State announced that it had awarded an $816.6 names presently are reserved for million contract to Northrup but asked for special Ship Systems to construct the NEW consideration so the name could be YORK. The ship would be built at the given to a surface ship. The request was company’s Avondale Operation in New approved 28 August 2002. Orleans with fabrication support from The decision to name a ship after three other company facilities located at both the State and the City was Passagoula, Miss., Gulfport, Miss., and announced on 11 September 2002 at a Tallulah, La. “We are honored to build ceremony at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space NEW YORK.” commented Dr. Philip A. Museum. Secretary England said: Dur, then-President of Northrop "When our Sailors and Marines set out Grumman Ship Systems. 3 Copyright Richard H. Wagner 2006 All rights reserved One day short of the third turbocharged marine diesel engines will anniversary of the attacks, the keel of the be able to drive the ship at more than 22 NEW YORK was laid. Secretary knots. England commented that NEW YORK Since NEW YORK is not and her sisters “will take the fight to the intended to project power through her terrorists who threaten the peace and own firepower, her armament will be freedom of the world.” defensive. It will include two Mk 31 Mod-1 RAM launchers, two Mk 46 Mod The Ship 1 30 mm gun systems, and four fifty caliber machine guns. n the post-Cold War era, protecting The ships of the San Antonio- America’s interests often depends class, including NEW YORK, are Iupon being able to insert ground intended to replace four different classes forces into world troublespots in a timely of ships encompassing some 40 ships fashion. Consequently, it is a great currently serving in the active fleet. advantage to be able to position Marines They will be a marked improvement offshore so that they can be projected over earlier amphibious assault ships. ashore from the sea when the Their extensive command and control policymakers so specify. It is for this spaces and “flagship-like” connectivity purpose that the NEW YORK is being will enable the ships of this class to fully built. As noted by Dr. Dru, this “class of support independent split operations or ‘fighting Gators’ will constitute a to serve as an integral part of significant element of the sea base and amphibious ready groups, joint task the future of expeditionary warfare.” forces or expeditionary strike groups. NEW YORK will have fixed They will also have substantially accommodations for 699 Marines but increased vehicle lift capacity, a large will be able to accommodate up to 800 flight deck, and advanced ship Marines on a surge basis. Not just a survivability features that enhance their transport, NEW YORK will be able to ability to operate in the unforgiving insert Marines into the action both by air littoral environment. To enhance the and by sea. She will have an aircraft quality of life for those aboard, they also hanger and flight deck capable of feature the sit-up berth, ship services handling the MV-22 Osprey as well as mall, a fitness center and learning helicopters. In addition, she will have resource center/electronic classroom. the ability to land Marines by the The design team also incorporated hovercraft-like LCAC and by more hundreds of suggestions and conventional landing craft or amphibious recommendations from more than 1,000 vehicles. Sailors and Marines in the Design for To accomplish her mission, Ownership process. NEW YORK will be of substantial size. USS SAN ANTONIO (LPD 17), She will have a length of 684 feet and a the first ship of the class was full load of 25,000 tons. commissioned this year. Four others are With a beam of 105 feet, she will be able under construction and four more are to squeeze through the , planned including ships named after the thus adding to her ability to respond other locations associated with the quickly to trouble. Her four sequentially , i.e., Arlingon, Va. 4 Copyright Richard H. Wagner 2006 All rights reserved (the Pentagon attack), and Somerset, Pa. (the site of the crash of Flight 93). LPD 21 is currently about 43% complete. The stem casting which was poured from World Trade Center metal is installed in Unit 1120 which has been erected on board the ship. An American flag flies from the stem casting today. The ship will be 100% erected in November of 2006 and will be launched in April of 2007 at 70% complete overall. The ship will then go through an intensive finish, outfitting and testing phase leading to sea trials in July of 2008 and delivery to the US Navy and Marine Corps in November 2008.

5 Copyright Richard H. Wagner 2006 All rights reserved