HISTORY

Name

On 7 September 2002 in a ceremony aboard USS Intrepid in New York City, Secretary of the Navy Gordon England announced the decision to name the fifth amphibious transport dock ship of the San Antonio class, New York (LPD 21). Secretary England said, "This new class of ships will project American power to the far corners of the Earth and support the cause of freedom well into the 21st century. From the war for independence through the war on terrorism, which we wage today, the courage and heroism of the people of New York has been an inspiration. 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."

Namesake

Governor George E. Pataki wrote a letter to Secretary England requesting that the Navy revive the name USS New York in honor of September 11's victims and to give it a surface warship involved in the war on terror. In his letter, the Governor said he understood state names presently are reserved for submarines but asked for special consideration so the name could be given to a surface ship. The request was approved August 28, 2002.

Governor Pataki hailed the Secretary's decision to name a new LPD-17 class amphibious transport dock the USS New York in honor of the heroes who died on September 11, as well as to honor the courage and compassion shown by countless New Yorkers in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.

Other Ships Named New York

Gondola: Revolutionary War General Benedict Arnold built the first New York, a gondola, to support his campaign on Lake Champlain in 1776. Built that summer, the gondola, with one 12 pounder and two 9 pounder guns plus 8 swivels, was part of the flotilla that battled the British on 11 October 1776 at the Battle of Valcour Island. While this was a tactical defeat, the American ships survived to fight again two days later, when Arnold was finally forced to burn the New York and her sister ships to avoid capture near Crown Point, New York. Although a defeat for Arnold and the American forces, the action delayed the British drive toward New York until 1777 when they would meet defeat at the Battle of Saratoga.

Frigate: Built in New York City and funded by the citizens of New York, the second New York was a 36-gun frigate. Commissioned in October 1800 and commanded by Captain Richard V. Morris, it was one of five frigates built to supplement the original six frigates to include the Constitution. New York escorted merchant ships to the Caribbean during the "quasi-war" with France in 1800-1801.

In November 1802, the ship sailed to the Mediterranean where New York served as flagship in the war against the Barbary Pirates. In two engagements the ship participated in driving off Tripolitan gunboats. New York returned to the Washington Navy Yard in 1803 where she remained for 11 years until the British burned the ship on 24 August 1814.

Tonnage: 1,130; Length: 145'5"; Beam 38"1"; Complement: 340; Armament: 26 18 pounders, 10 9 pounders.

Ship-of-the-Line: After the War or 1812, Congress authorized the construction of 9 ships of the line as a potential deterrent to future war with Britain. War never came and so the New York, whose keel was laid in 1820 and was ready for launching in 1825, never left the stocks. On 20 April 1861, this 74-gun ship-of-the-line was burned by Union forces to avoid capture by encroaching Virginians at the start of the Civil War.

Tonnage: 2,633; Length: 195' 11/2"; Beam 63; Complement: 820; Armament: 74 guns.

Screw Sloop: Originally named Ontario, this ship was laid down in 1863, but never launched. It was renamed New York in 1869, but was sold while still on the stocks in 1888.

Displacement: 3,953: Length: 312' 2"; Beam 47'; Armament: 21 guns.

Armored Cruiser #2 (CA 2): Laid down in 1890, the armored cruiser New York was commissioned in August 1893. She served as flagship of the South Atlantic Squadron and then was in the North Atlantic Squadron when the Spanish-American War began. New York was Admiral Sampson's flagship in the Battle of Santiago when the American Squadron destroyed the Spanish fleet.

New York later served as flagship of the Asiatic Fleet and as part of the Pacific Squadron. Modernized in 1905-1909, the ship steamed in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Asiatic fleets before being renamed Saratoga in 1911. (When construction began of the battleship New York). Saratoga helped capture 32 German agents off of Mexico in 1917 and, after being renamed Rochester in late 1917 escorted convoys in World War I. After the war Rochester continued to operate until decommissioned in the Philippines in 1933. The Americans scuttled her in December 1941 to avoid capture.

Displacement: 8,150: Length: 384'; Beam 64'10"; Armament: 6 eight inch, 12 four inch, and 8 6 inch guns, plus 4 one pounders and 3 torpedo tubes.

Battleship BB 34: On 11 September 1911, the battleship USS New York was laid down and commissioned on 15 April 1914. The battleship served as flagship of Battleship Division 9 in World War I supporting the British Grand Fleet in the North Sea with blockade and escort missions. New York was present when the German High Seas Fleet surrendered on 21 November 1918

Between wars, the New York served primarily in the Pacific Fleet until 1935, before transferring to the Atlantic Fleet. At the start of World War II, New York escorted convoys before providing gunfire support in the Invasion of North Africa on November 8, 1942. Following this action, the ship trained gunners and providing training cruises for the Naval Academy until transferring to the Pacific Fleet in 1945. New York participated in a pre-invasion bombardment of Iwo Jima, firing more 14" rounds than any other ship present. In March 1945 New York provided gunfire support for the invasion of Okinawa and was grazed by a kamikaze. USS New York earned three battle stars for World War II service.

After the War, USS New York participated in the Bikini atomic tests in 1946, surviving both an underwater and an air blast. She was decommissioned on 29 August 1946. On July 8 1948 she was sunk off of Pearl Harbor as a target ship.

Displacement: 27,000: Length: 573'; Beam 95'3"; Armament: 10 fourteen inch guns, 21 five inch guns, and four torpedo tubes.

Notes: (1) There was also a nuclear powered attach submarine, USS New York City (SSN 696) that was commissioned in 1979 and decommissioned in 1997. (2) LPD 21 will be the longest and widest ship to bear the name New York and within 2,000 tons of having the same displacement as the battleship.

Building Yard

LPD 21 New York is under construction at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Avondale Operations, greater New Orleans area, Louisiana.

Casting the Bow Stem

Steel salvaged from the World Trade Center wreckage will be used in the construction of New York. The shipyard and Navy inspected the steel and found that it was of sufficient material strength so that it could be incorporated into the bow stem of New York.

"We're very proud that the twisted steel from the WTC towers will soon be used to forge an even strong national defense," said New York Gov. George Pataki. "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 September 11, 2001 and the courage and strength New Yorkers showed in response to terror."

Keel Laying

The keel was laid for New York on September 10, 2004.

Christening Ceremony

The ship’s sponsor is Mrs. Dotty England, the wife of Secretary of the Navy Gordon England. She will “christen thee New York” in a ceremony in 2006.

Commissioning Ceremony

Commissioning is the ceremony in which New York will become a unit of the operating forces of the United States Navy. It is the occasion when the ship will “Come Alive” and New York becomes USS New York. The Navy will determine the site for the commissioning ceremony about six months prior to the event in 2007.

Ship’s Crew

360 Sailors and three Marines will form the New York’s crew.

Homeport

LPD 21 is scheduled to be a Norfolk, Virginia based ship.