Thousands of people gathered at the waterfront of the Hudson River as the USS New York sailed in. They watched with moist eyes as the ship’s 21-gun salute boomed in the air, honoring those they had lost in the 9/11 attacks.
The USS New York warship contains 7.5 tonnes of steel retrieved from the rubble of The World Trade Center.
At the ship’s summit stands a replica of the Twin Towers, painted in colors denoting the different departments which were the first ones to respond during the catastrophe, in which more than 3000 lives were lost.
As it sailed in, it brought with it the memories, the anguish and the tears associated with Twin Towers. As the guns fired the crew stood to attention near the deck.
Amongst the ones watching were those that had lost their kith and kin. There were mothers, wives and sisters of fire fighters, who stood and fell in the service of the nation, and the members of the emergency services.
Rosaleen Tallon who had lost her firefighter brother said, “It’s a transformation from something really twisted and ugly. I’m proud that our military is using that steel.”
The‘New York’ warship which was built in Louisiana 3 weeks ago, will be officially commissioned on Saturday.
A transformation indeed!
The molten Steel has risen from the rubble of Twin Towers and has become a sturdy warship.