USS Somerset arrives at home port in San Diego
The amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) arrives at its new homeport at Naval Base San Diego. The Somerset, commissioned in Philadelphia March 1, is the ninth San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship, and is named in honor of the crew and passengers of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Somerset County, during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
At left, the Somerset passes Naval Air Station North Island as it makes it way to San Diego.
(Photos courtesy of the U.S. Navy)
U.S. Navy
The Navy’s newest amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) passes Naval Air Station North Island as it makes it way to its new homeport at Naval Base San Diego. The ninth San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship, Somerset is named in honor of the crew and passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed near Shanksville, Somerset County, during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy)
The USS Somerset has arrived at its home port in San Diego, Calif., where it will undergo additional outfitting in preparation of its first mission.
The amphibious transport dock ship was formally commissioned in Philadelphia on March 1.
It departed Penn’s Landing a few days later and traveled southward along the Atlantic Ocean coastline to the Carribean Sea and Panama Canal before arriving at the naval base in San Diego.
The Somerset is the third state-of-the art warship named in honor of the victims and first-responders of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., and in Somerset County where the 40 crew and passengers of United Flight 93 overcame the terrorist hijackers and crashed the jetliner to prevent it from continuing on its path to Washington, D.C.
Northrop Grumman Ship Systems of Mississippi was awarded the contract to build the 684-foot San Antonio-class ship in 2007.
Construction began in December 2009 with the laying of the keel at the Northrop Grumman’s Avondale shipyard in Louisiana.
It was constructed by Huntington Ingalls Industries.
The ship was launched in April 2012 and christened three months later during a ceremony held in Louisiana.
Although it was originally planned to also commission the ship at the same location, several Pennsylvania lawmakers urged U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus to have the commissioning in Pennsylvania to allow Somerset County residents to participate in the ceremony.
Nearly 4,000 people joined with the estimated 1,000 people from Somerset County at the Penn’s Landing dock along the Delaware River to watch U.S. Marines and sailors carry out the order given by Capt. Thomas L. Dearborn and ship’s sponsor, Mary Jo Myers, to “bring this ship to life.”
From stem to stern, the ship pays tribute to the Flight 93 victims.
Flags, nameplates, and Somerset County maple flooring and street signs are a constant reminder to the crew and ship’s visitors of their sacrifice.
Also on board is a library museum where memorabilia, including paintings, books, maps and other items donated by Somerset County officials, organizations and others are kept.
Fayette County also has a presence in the ship’s library.
Dunbar Township residents John Frick and Keith Martin constructed a sofa table, two end tables, four bookcases and a bench for the library.
Dearborn, meanwhile, said that the crew was excited to return to their home port and their families, but will continue to train and prepare the ship for its future missions.
“The crew of Somerset has worked extremely hard to train, qualify and prepare this great ship for service,” he said.
“They have met all challenges head-on and they have produced outstanding results, exceeding all expectations.”