NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — WAVY’s Navy Ship Salute is a feature on WAVY News 10 Today. Each month, in partnership with the U.S. Navy, WAVY-TV 10 will profile a different ship based at the world’s largest Navy base: Naval Station Norfolk. The series aims to better introduce our viewers to some of the largest floating taxpayer assets there are as well as life aboard U.S. Navy Ship.

For November 2022, 10 On Your Side was welcomed on board USS New York (LPD-21).

USS New York is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock that was first commissioned in 2009. Built at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems of New Orleans, Louisiana, it is one of 12 in her class currently in service.

She is named after New York City to honor the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks according to the Navy. Her sister ships, USS Arlington (LPD 24) and USS Somerset (LPD 25) were named in the same spirit, paying homage to the victims of attacks in Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Current Commanding Officer Ben Oakes described the ship as a “living museum.” Throughout the ship, there are several spots where the names of the more than 2,000 who died in the attacks are listed.

Sketch portraits of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama are overlooked by the words “Never Forget” and seven and a half tons of steel recovered from the World Trade Center was cast as USS New York’s bow stem.

LPDs are used to transport and land Marines, their equipment and supplies by embarked landing craft according to the Navy.  

The ship is 684 feet long with more than 300 sailors serving onboard when on deployment. The ship can also handle a complement of more than 400 marines.

For much of the last two years, the ship has been in drydock at General Dynamics Nassco Shipyard in Norfolk. Oakes said the goal is now to get the ship ramped up to full operation again.

“We’ll start working up with basic phase certification, training with the WASP amphibious readiness group and prepare for an early 2024 deployment,” Oakes said.