Shortly after September 11, 2001, Governor of New YorkGeorge E. Pataki wrote a letter to Secretary of the NavyGordon R. England requesting that the Navy bestow the name New York on a surface warship involved in the Global War on Terrorism in honor of the victims of the September 11 attacks.[6] Pataki wrote that he understood state names were reserved for submarines, but he asked for special consideration so the name could be given to a surface ship.[7] The request was approved on 28 August 2002.
The ship is the first to be designed fully from the CAD-screen up to support both of the Marines' primary mobility capabilities, LCAC landing craft and MV-22B Osprey aircraft.[9]
7.5 short tons (6.8 t) of the steel used in the ship's construction came from the rubble of the World Trade Center; this represents less than one thousandth of the total weight of the ship.[11] The steel 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 9 September 2003, with 7 short tons (6.4 t) cast to form the ship's "stem bar"—part of the ship's bow. The foundry workers reportedly treated it with "reverence usually accorded to religious relics," gently touching it as they walked by. One worker delayed his retirement after 40 years of working to be part of the project.[12]
Christening and delivery
New York was christened on 1 March 2008, in a ceremony at Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans. Ship sponsor Dotty England, wife of Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon R. England, 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, members of the New York City Police Department and the New York City Fire Department, and family members of victims of the September 11 attacks. The champagne bottle did not break the first time it was struck against the hull of the ship, but the second attempt was successful.[13]
The ship was delivered to the Navy on 21 August 2009 at New Orleans. She set sail for Norfolk, Virginia, on 13 October 2009.[14] On 2 November 2009 the ship passed the World Trade Center site for the first time and gave the site a 21-gun salute.[3][15]
On 11 January 2010, the Navy announced that the ship would have to undergo repairs for faulty engine parts after inspectors discovered the "premature failure" of bearings on the ship's main propulsion diesel engines during a week-long sea trial following the November commissioning.[20]
On 11 September 2017, New York arrived off the Florida coast for Hurricane Irma relief, 16 years to the day after the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks.[23]
2018
New York supported the reception night for the 23rd International Seapower Symposium at the Naval War College in Newport, RI in September 2018.[24] In November, the ship supported Exercise Trident Juncture, a large scale NATO exercise involving more than 50,000 personnel, 65 ships, and 250 aircraft, including 14,000 American troops, a Carrier Strike Group (CSG) and an Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG).[25]
Gallery
Ship sponsor Dotty England smashes the traditional bottle of champagne on New York's hull during the christening ceremony on 1 March 2008
Steel from the World Trade Center is displayed aboard the ship.
New York arrives at her homeport of Naval Station Norfolk pm 18 November 2009.
^ ab"Navy Secretary Assigns New Ship Name New York". Navy News Service (Press release). 10 September 2002. NNS020910-10. Retrieved 25 July 2016. "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," England said.
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.