Navy will name two ships after Sept. 11 crash sites

Associated Press
© September 11, 2004

WASHINGTON — The Navy announced it will name two planned ships after the places where two of the planes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001, crashed.

The Arlington will be named for Arlington, Va., where the Pentagon is. The Somerset will be named for the county in Pennsylvania where it is believed hijackers deliberately crashed their plane after passengers rose up against them.

The ships are amphibious transport docks, the eighth and ninth of the San Antonio class. Each will have a crew of 363 people and will be capable of carrying 699 Marines.

The Arlington and Somerset will be built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in New Orleans, the Navy said.

“The courage and heroism of the people aboard those flights, and in the Pentagon, will never be forgotten by the American people, and as these ships engage in combating terrorism, they will leave a legacy that will never be forgotten by those wishing to do harm to this country,” said Navy Secretary Gordon England in announcing the names of the vessels.

An earlier ship of the same class was named New York after the site of the World Trade Center attacks.

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I would have preferred they use the names for a pair of boomers, but we're not building any of those anytime soon, so Marine assault ships will have to do.

Kharn

Quoted: I would have preferred they use the names for a pair of boomers, but we're not building any of those anytime soon, so Marine assault ships will have to do. Kharn

Think of it this way, those amphibs will be used to deliver and open USMC-brand cans of whoop ass far more often than any boomer ever will.

So in a way, it's better that the names went to amphibs than to boomers.