Ship incorporates steel from the World Trade Center
Last Edited: Sunday, 02 Mar 2008, 5:57 PM EST
Created: Saturday, 01 Mar 2008, 8:55 PM EST

MYFOXNY.COM The U.S. Navy christened a new warship Saturday that pays tribute to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. The amphibious transport dock ship New York is officially named for the state but informally pays tribute to the city and the victims of the attacks. More than seven tons of steel salvaged from the wreckage of the World Trade Center was melted down and used in the construction of the bow stem.

It was named the New York at the request of then-Gov. George Pataki, who wrote a letter to the Navy after the attacks.Thousands of people, including friends and families of 9/11 victims, gathered Saturday at the ceremony at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding facilities outside of New Orleans. The official motto of New York is Never Forget, which is painted on the hull.

This is a special day for a magnificent ship that has a special place in the heart of every American, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said during the ceremony. On the day the towers fell, all Americans were New Yorkers.

May God bless this ship and all who sail on her, ship sponsor Dotty England said before smashing a bottle of champagne against it, producing a loud thump to go with the spurting liquid and flying streamers.

The diesel-powered 25,000-ton San Antonio class vessel is 684 feet long, 105 feet wide and cost a billion dollars. It is armed with missile launches and two 30-millimeter guns. It will have a crew of 360 sailors and three Marines. It is also designed to transport a landing force of up to 800 Marines. The ship can launch four Sea Knight transport helicopters or two Osprey aircraft.

The prospective commanding officer is Cmdr. F. Curtis Jones who is from Binghamton, N.Y. The New York will be commissioned and added to the fleet next year in a ceremony at New York City, officially becoming the USS New York.

Two more San Antonio ships under construction include the Arlington and the Somerset, named for the other locations affected by Sept. 11: the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., and the field in Somerset, Pa., where United 93 crashed.

It is the fifth ship in the U.S. Navy to be named New York. The last was a battleship that served in both World Wars and was decommissioned in 1946. In addition, one Navy submarine was known as the USS New York City, and served the Navy from 1979 to 1997.

MyFoxNY.com with Associated Press and American Forces Press Service reports

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Commander F. Curtis Jones

United States Navy

Prospective Commanding Officer

New York (LPD 21)

A native New Yorker, CDR Jones was born and raised in Binghamton, New York. He attended Massachusets Institute of Technology, graduating and recieving a commission through the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps. in 1989. After training in Newport. RI, his initial sea assignment was in USS San Jose (AFS 7) homeported in Guam. From 1989 to 1993, he held the billets of Damage Control Assistant, 1st Division Officer, STREAM Officer and Main Propulsion Assistant while making three deployments in the Western Pacific ands Middle East (including Desert Storm).

Upon completion of his intial sea tour, CDR Jones reported to Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey School and completed a Masters in National Security Affairs. During this time he was actively involved in student goverment including a term as Chairman of the Officer Student
Advisory Committee (OSAC)

CDR Jones joined the precommissioning crew of the Northrop Grumman built USS Bataan (LHD 7) in Passcagoula, Mississippi, serving as Main Propulsion Assistant. His following tour as Chief Engineer, USS Cleveland (LPD 7) homeported in San Diego, California, where he deployed into the Arabian Gulf. During this time he was selected to be the Surface Navy Association ”Arliegh Burke Award” winner.

In 2000, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska where CDR Jones served as USSSTRATCOM intially as an Emergency Actions Officer and later as the Aide-de-’Camp for the Deputy Commander, USSSTRATCOM.

Moving back to San Diego, CDR Jones assumed duties as Executive officer of USS Coranado (AGF 11), COMTHIRDFLT flagship from 2002 to 2003 before the ship transitioned to MSC. Upon his departure, CDR Jones reported to the staff of Naval Personel Command serving in various capacities, Most reciently as Deputy Director Surface Warfare Officer Distribution.

During 2007, CDR Jones deployed to Afganistan, reporting as member of JTF  Paladin.

CDR Jones personal awards include the Defense Metorious Service Medal (two awards), Metorious Service Medal (three awards), Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), Navy Medal (two
awards) and the Army Medal

CDR Jones is married to the former Kathylynn
Neuman of St. Louis, Missouri
As printed in the Christening Booklet of the USS New York

By Northrop Grumman

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NY POST, March 1, 2008

Say this for the US Navy: It knows how to remember.

Consider USS New York, the Navy’s newest amphibious transport dock ship, to be christened this morning during a ceremony at the Northrop Grumman shipyards in New Orleans.

The ship, named in commemoration of the victims of 9/11, was forged in part from 7.5 tons of steel salvaged from the wreckage of the World Trade Center – used, as the Navy puts it, to symbolize “the spirit and resiliency of the people of New York.”

Her motto: “Never Forget.”

It’s hard to think of a better tribute to the heroes of that day than New York, which can transport up to 800 Marines in support of expeditionary warfare missions and special ops – perfect, in other words, for taking the fight back to America’s enemies.

And she’ll be skippered, upon her commissioning next year, by Cmdr. F. Curtis Jones of upstate Binghamton, at the head of a crew of 360 sailors.

Like we said: wholly fitting (as are two more planned San Antonio-class transports, USS Arlington and USS Somerset – named for the sites of the other 9/11 attacks).

Indeed, for decades to come, the US fleet will sail with a physical manifestation of the plain American courage that makes her sailors the finest in the world – and a firm reminder, as if they needed it, of the stakes of their service.

Anchors aweigh!

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