Today, Saturday, the USS Arlington (LPD 24) was commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., and officially joined the Navy fleet.
What is so special about this amphibious transport dock ship?
At least a couple of things.
The ship is named for the county of Arlington, Va. and honors the first responders and the 184 victims who died when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon Sept. 11, 2001.
It is one of three ships built to commemorate the three 9/11 attack sites’ victims. The other two ships are the USS New York (LPD 21) — to honor the victims of the World Trade Center attack — and the USS Somerset (LPD 25), named after the Pennsylvania county where the passengers of hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 perished after they heroically forced the hijacked plane down.
The USS Arlington features a tribute room where “200 pounds of steel salvaged from the Pentagon’s wreckage have been forged into a pentagon to be put on a permanent display” and also displays 184 gold stars throughout the ship “to remind crewmen of the victims and heroes of the 9/11,” according to the Washington Examiner.
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos said in his congratulatory letter to the ship, “LPD 24 bears a name of great significance to our Navy and Marine Corps team. LPD 24 will forever represent the courage, devotion and teamwork that characterized our military and first responders on that modern day of infamy.”
The following images are provided by the U.S. Navy:
Sailors assigned to the newly commissioned amphibious transport dock USS Arlington (LPD 24) stand by to bring the ship to life during the ship’s commissioning ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Frank J. Pikul)
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.