Steel salvaged from the World Trade Center buildings was examined and 24 tons were found to be strong enough to use again. There were five Naval ships under construction when the steel was salvaged and it was taken to a foundry in Louisiana to be melted down.
It was a spiritual experience for the workers who took the process very seriously and handled the metal with great care. It was then molded into one of the ship’s bow stems. The governor of New York asked the Navy to name the ship after the attack in memory of what happened. So, they named her the USS New York and her motto became “Never Forget.”
Two more of the vessels were also named for locations associated with the 9/11 attack. In 2009, when the battleship was commissioned, it made its way from New Orleans harbor to New York for a special ceremony. The battleship was specially made to counter terrorism and holds 700 marines and 360 sailors.