SEPTEMBER 11, 2026 — Across both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, three U.S. Navy warships carry an enduring physical and symbolic connection to Sept. 11, 2001.
The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships USS New York (LPD 21), USS Arlington (LPD 24), and USS Somerset (LPD 25) were commissioned to honor the victims, first responders, and service members of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Today, all three operate as frontline assets, turning national remembrance into operational readiness and global deterrence.
Homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, USS New York maintains a direct physical link to Ground Zero. Its bow incorporates 7.5 tons of steel salvaged from the World Trade Center and melted at the Amite Foundry in Louisiana during construction. Throughout the ship, artifacts and memorial tributes remind the crew of the vessel’s namesake purpose during daily evolutions.
“USS New York wasn’t built to just memorialize the events of 9/11,” said Capt. John Meise, commanding officer of USS New York. “It was built to fight and win… to take the fight to the enemy and keep our family and friends safe at home.”
Stationed pier-side in Norfolk alongside New York, sister ship USS Arlington honors the 184 victims killed when Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. Unlike its sister ships, Arlington’s steel was not cast into the ship’s forward structure. Instead, recovered structural steel and artifacts from the Pentagon are preserved and displayed in the ship’s museum and tribute spaces, alongside artifacts gifted by Arlington County first responders.
“You’re standing on board a $1 billion warship dedicated to the memory of the 184 people lost in that incident,” said Command Master Chief Steve Williams, USS Arlington. “When you go to our tribute room and see the murals around the ship, it puts it in perspective that this is real. We carry on the memory, and we fight the fight so that we can stay safe.”
On the West Coast, USS Somerset is homeported in San Diego. The ship honors the 40 passengers and crew of United Flight 93 who fought back against hijackers over Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Somerset’s bow was cast with approximately 22 tons of steel recovered from the dragline bucket that stood near the crash site. Inscribed inside the ship’s memorial room are the names of all 40 victims.
“The names of the heroes of Flight 93 live on this ship,” said Capt. Will Carr, commanding officer of USS Somerset. “As long as this ship sails forth, it will be a testament to the heroism, to the memory, and to the example America received that day of just how strong our country and its people are.”
Twenty-five years after the attacks on Lower Manhattan, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the memory of the 2,977 lives lost remains an active, daily reminder aboard these warships. Deployed wherever the nation calls across the globe, the crews of New York, Arlington, and Somerset carry the sacrifice, courage, and resolve of that morning into every mission—ensuring that the nation’s promise to never forget is upheld through unwavering service and fleet readiness.
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Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Luke Wilson
Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic