Photo Release — Northrop Grumman-Built U.S. Navy Amphibious Transport Dock Somerset (LPD 25) Honors Heroes of United Airlines Flight 93
AVONDALE, La., Dec. 11, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) observed a significant milestone with a keel authentication ceremony for Somerset (LPD 25), the ninth ship in the LPD 17 series of San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships being built by the company.
Somerset is named in honor of the passengers and crew of
United Airlines Flight 93, whose courageous actions prevented terrorist hijackers from reaching their target on Sept. 11, 2001. Somerset is the county in Pennsylvania in which United Flight 93 crashed.
“This ship demonstrates the steadfast commitment of our nation to protecting our freedom, and it symbolizes the courage of those aboard Flight 93 who refused to yield to those who threatened it,” said Irwin F. Edenzon, vice president and general manager, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding – Gulf Coast. “As shipbuilders, we provide the nation’s sea services with the tools of their trade. Shipbuilding is hard, complicated work. And I am proud that we do it well and strive every day to do it better.”
Construction of Somerset is taking place at the Shipbuilding sector’s Avondale shipyard, with fabrication support from the three other company facilities in Pascagoula and Gulfport, Miss., as well as Tallulah, La.
Mary Jo Myers, ship sponsor and wife of U.S. Air Force (Ret.) former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had her initials welded onto a keel plate by Northrop Grumman welder Lanford Bridges. Following the welding, Mrs. Myers announced LPD 25′s keel to be “truly and fairly laid.”
“The shipyard workers are building this ship for those men and women who wear our country’s uniform, but there’s more than one way to serve our country,” said Mrs. Myers. “You are serving it by your passion and dedication in the work that you’re doing and by building something that’s greater than yourselves. I’m inspired by that pride and patriotism you bring to your craft.”
“These men and women who have dedicated themselves to shipbuilding join our extended family to build upon a memory that we cannot afford to lose,” said Gordon Felt, president, Families of Flight 93, whose brother Edward, was a passenger on the flight. “To build a naval vessel that will remind the world and motivate those who serve aboard her that what took place in Somerset County, Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001, was worthy of our honor and remembrance.”
The 684-foot, 105-foot-wide LPD transport dock ships are used to transport and land U.S. Marines, their equipment and supplies by embarked air cushion or conventional landing craft and Expeditionary Fighting vehicles, amphibious assault vehicles, augmented by helicopters or vertical takeoff and landing aircraft such as the Osprey. The ships will support amphibious assault special operations, or expeditionary warfare missions throughout the first half of the 21st century.
Somerset (LPD 25) is scheduled to launch in the fall of 2011 and be delivered to the U.S. Navy at the end of 2012.
“With dozens of ships currently under contract, I’ve had the opportunity to watch American shipbuilders across the country, and I can tell you there are no more dedicated, skilled or passionate crafts men and women anywhere in the world,” said U.S. Navy Rear Adm. William E. Landay III, program executive officer, ships. “The United States Navy is the preeminent power in the world because of the powerful combination of the abilities of the American Sailor and Marine and the skill and passion of the American shipbuilder. I can think of no better team of patriots to entrust the care and construction of our Navy’s newest amphibious assault ship.”
Two other Northrop Grumman built LPD ships are named in honor of the victims and heroes of 9/11 — Arlington (LPD 24), currently under construction in Pascagoula, Miss., and USS New York (LPD 21), which was recently commissioned in New York City.
Somerset (LPD 25) is the fifth United States Navy ship of that name.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.
CONTACT: Bill Glenn
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding
(228) 327-1671
william.glenn@ngc.com
“I can tell the crew of the USS Jason Dunham, that you can not have a better namesake, nor a better sponsor. This ship, USS Jason Dunham, will always remind individuals that freedom is in fact not free. It is paid for by those great young men and women who wear the cloth of our nation,” said retired general and former Commandant of the Marine Corps Michael Hagee, who served as guest speaker.
Deborah Dunham served as the sponsor of the ship named for her late son. In accordance with Navy tradition, she broke a bottle of champagne across the ship’s bow and christened the ship.
She said her son would be very proud of the honor to have a ship named after him.
“It’s an honor to be able to do this for Jason. I appreciate the fact that they chose to name the ship after Jason, but I like the idea that they’ll be able to carry his name on in history. I’m hoping that somebody, a child in school some day, will see the name ‘Jason Dunham’ and look it up and find out what he did with his citation. Maybe, that will encourage them to go to the Medal of Honor Society Web site and find out what other men have done for our nation, also.
“These men carry on their heroic actions very quietly and very humbly. So, if this is a way of putting it out there, of what this whole entire fraternity of men have done for our country, I’m glad that he could be a stepping stone for that,” said Dunham.
The new destroyer honors the late Cpl. Jason Dunham, the first Marine awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. On April 14, 2004, Dunham’s squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in Karabilah, Iraq, when his battalion commander’s convoy was ambushed. When Dunham’s squad approached to provide fire support, an Iraqi insurgent leapt out of a vehicle and attacked Dunham. As Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground, he noticed that the enemy fighter had a grenade in his hand.
Dunham immediately alerted his fellow Marines, and when the enemy dropped the live grenade, Dunham took off his Kevlar helmet, covered the grenade, and threw himself on top to smother the blast. In an ultimately selfless act of courage, in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of two fellow Marines.
During his speech, Bush said, “As long as we have Marines like Cpl. Dunham, America will never fear for her liberty.”
Bush presented Cpl. Dunham’s family with the Medal of Honor during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on Jan. 11.
“Today, Jason takes his rightful place in naval history alongside his storied legacy in the annals of the Marine Corps,” said Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus.
“Though Jason is no longer with us, his name will live on in this magnificent warship that represents the best our nation has to offer. Jason’s spirit — as a warrior, fighter, and one who never gave up, even in the face of great challenges — lives on to lead all of the men and women who will ever serve aboard USS Jason Dunham, in home waters and abroad. In the fighting spirit of its namesake, the men and women of USS Jason Dunham will never back down from any challenge put before them,” said Mabus.
“It’s clear that having ‘Jason Dunham’ written on the stern of this ship will always force the crew to think about why they’re serving and what they’re giving and what they expect of themselves. So, what Jason taught the rest of us is something that they can always think about as they serve on that ship, wherever it may take them,” said Michael M. Phillips, author of “The Gift of Valor: A War Story,” a book about Cpl. Dunham and actions leading up to his Medal of Honor.
The ship’s prospective commanding officer is Cmdr. Scott Sciretta who will lead the crew of 276 officers and enlisted personnel of the 9,200-ton vessel. http://www.jason-dunham.navy.mil/Site%20Pages/Ships%20Crest.aspx
“This ship as far as the maritime strategy is the most capable warship in the world,” said Sciretta. “It can do anything. You name the mission, our Navy is ready to meet the maritime strategy. This ship is the most capable warship in the world.”
“This is the greatest honor of my life. I cannot stress with anything greater in my heart anything that I feel, to have the opportunity to meet Dan and Deb Dunham and their lovely family, the sacrifice that Jason made for this country, the sacrifice that Dan and Deb continue to make for this country on a daily basis. I’m deeply honored,” continued Sciretta.
In the spirit of this Marine, USS Jason Dunham will continue protecting America’s liberty by providing a dynamic multimission platform to lead the Navy into the future. Utilizing a gas-turbine propulsion system, the ship can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups, and underway replenishment groups. The ship’s combat systems center on the Aegis combat system and the SPY-Ld(V) multifunction phased array radar. With the combination of Aegis, the vertical launching system, an advanced anti-submarine warfare system, advanced anti-aircraft missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles, the Arleigh Burke-class continues the revolution at sea.
“I feel incredibly honored to be here today to christen the USS Jason Dunham,” said Mabus. “To honor a Marine who made the ultimate sacrifice, so that others Marines could live and so that America could continue to represent the values that we do. To have a Navy ship named after such a Marine is in the great tradition of our naval forces. And USS Jason Dunham is going to represent us well, around the world, in a lot of different capacities, for decades to come.
“This is one of the most capable ships that the Navy has. It’s one of the most capable types of ships that any navy has ever had. It can mount simultaneous defenses and attacks. Air, sea, underwater. It is truly an integrated fighting machine. And it’s got other things too. It can deliver humanitarian aid. It can deter some aggression. It can reassure allies. It is an incredibly capable ship, in an incredibly capable navy, in an incredibly complex world. And it’s something that we need, and it’s something that’s going to serve us well.
“It shows what values we have in the United States. Not only in the Navy and Marine Corps, but as a country. The values of character, of honor, of sacrifice, of the willingness to give to something bigger than ourselves. And I think that the name Jason Dunham on this ship, what he stood for, the character that he had, the actions that he took, will represent us well as this ship sails in our fleet for a long time to come,” said Mabus.
“He would think it was an absolute hoot, and he would just enjoy it to no end. I do think Jason would find it a huge honor,” said Dunham’s mother.
“It would be our duty and pleasure to be with the ship and be a part of the ship for the rest of the ship’s life or my life and the children’s lives, and I’m really looking forward to a family cruise,” said Dunham.
Additional information on Arleigh Burke class destroyers is available at http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=900&ct=4
How fitting. How utterly perfect. Many of us in the Navy blogosphere have been waiting. After all nothing is certain until it’s in writing.
Today we have it. Although, true to my contrary nature, I wish they had announced on September 29th. But no matter. It’s here now.
SECNAV Names New Zumwalt-Class Destroyer USS Michael Monsoor
Secretary of the Navy, Donald C. Winter announced at a Navy SEAL Warrior Fund Benefit Gala at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, the name of the newest Zumwalt-class Destroyer will be USS Michael Monsoor. Designated as DDG- 1001, the name honors Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, a Navy SEAL who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Ramadi, Iraq, on Sept. 29, 2006.
Winter discussed the qualities, values, and dedication to duty that Navy SEAL’s exemplify, including the extraordinary acts of Michael Monsoor.
“Tonight I would like to single out one of those heroes from the community of Navy SEAL’s,” Winter said. “Those who served with ichael Monsoor will remember him always as a consummate professional who faced terrorist enemies with aplomb and stoicism.”
“The full extent of Michael’s courage, gallantry, and self-less heroism were revealed on the 29th of September, in Ramadi. When his team was surprised by an enemy grenade, Michael could have escaped and saved himself,” Winter said. “But he chose a different path, a path of honor that embodies the way of a Navy SEAL. For having chosen that path, Petty Officer Michael Monsoor joined the ranks of those who have earned our nation’s highest distinction, the Medal of Honor.”
Winter concluded that Michael Monsoor’s heroism and self sacrifice for his teammates and his nation epitomize the Navy’s core values, and will forever provide prideful admiration for our sailors.
“Michael Monsoor’s name will now be linked with one of our nation’s most visible examples of military power, a U.S. Navy warship,” Winter said. “His legacy will inspire the hearts of future Sailors who serve on the ship that bears his name.”
The USS Michael Monsoor will be a multi-mission surface combatant tailored for advanced land attack and littoral dominance. The ship’s mission is to provide credible, independent forward presence and deterrence and to operate as an integral part of naval, joint or combined maritime forces.
The USS Michael Monsoor will be the 2nd Zumwalt-class destroyer. She will be 600 feet in length, have a beam of 80.7 feet, and displace approximately 15,000 tons. Michael Monsoor will have a crew size of 148 officers and sailors, he will make speed in excess of 30 knots.
DDG 1001 named for MoH recipient Monsoor
On Sept. 29, the day he died, Monsoor was stationed with his machine gun on a rooftop between two SEAL snipers providing cover for an Army unit working in a rail yard. The two men were lying prone, aiming their rifles through holes blasted in the wall, when a grenade sailed onto the rooftop and bounced off Monsoor’s chest.
According to the official Navy biography, there was no way either of the teammates could have escaped.
“He had a clear chance to escape, but in his mind, it was not a choice at all,” President Bush said in April when presenting the medal to Monsoor’s family.
Monsoor dove on the grenade and smothered its explosion, saving the lives of the two SEALs.
There are other posts about this very fitting tribute for Master-at-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael Monsoor, who was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Bush on April 8, 2008.
The best I have read so far is Galrahn at Information Dissemination.
“This Is How To Name a Warship“, yes, yes it is.
drillanwr at Pat Dollard also does a very good post.
How Monsoor’s casket comes to look like this is demonstrated at 8:45 in this truly moving YouTube video tribute.
BZ SECNAV Winter, CJCS Mullen, CNO Roughead and everyone who made this possible.
From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remember’d; We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition: And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
Yes, remember MA2 Mike Monsoor, USN, “from this day to the ending of the world”.
The future USS New York LPD-21 under construction at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems’ shipyard in Avondale, LA, will be the fifth amphibious transport dock of the San Antonio class. The ship was named New York after the state and incorporates in its construction steel salvaged from the World Trade Centers. Her ship motto is "Never Forget." "We're very proud that the twisted steel from the WTC towers will soon be used to forge an even stronger national defense," New York Gov. George Pataki spoke in 2002. "The USS New York will soon be defending freedom and combating terrorism around the globe, while also ensuring that the world never forgets the evil attacks of Sept. 11 and the courage and strength New Yorkers showed.” This will be the seventh U.S. ship named New York.
The purpose of this website is to provide information and news about the USS New York (LPD 21) to the general public. All information on this site is considered public information and may be distributed or copied unless otherwise specified. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credits is requested. All logos and trademarks are owned by their respective organizations and used with their courtesy.
http://www.jason-dunham.navy.mil/Site%20Pages/Ships%20Crest.aspx
