PCU Arlington Will Never Forget
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS110318-24
3/18/2011
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Stephen Murphy, Defense Media Activity - Navy
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The commanding officer of pre-commissioning unit (PCU) Arlington (LPD 24), the Navy's newest San Antonio-class landing platform, dock ship, spoke to Defense Media Activity Navy March 16 about the ship's namesake and upcoming christening.
Named for the county of Arlington, Va., the ship honors the 184 victims in the air and on the ground that lost their lives when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon Sept. 11, 2001.
By its namesake, the ship also honors the military and civilian employees and the emergency, fire and rescue personnel of Arlington and surrounding communities who provided critical assistance after the attack.
"This crew embodies the resilience and determination that Arlington represents," said Cmdr. Darren Nelson, PCU Arlington's commanding officer. "Having that constant reminder of knowing what could happen, and how we're here to help prevent it from ever happening again is something we take very serious."
PCU Arlington, the eighth ship in the San Antonio class, is one of three landing platform dock ships named in honor of 9-11 victims.
Arlington is scheduled to be christened in late March 2011 at a ceremony in Pascagoula, Miss.
The christening ceremony marks the traditional transition of the ship from the new construction phase to its comprehensive test and trials phase. Symbolically the ship moves from a mere hull number to a ship with a name and spirit of its own.
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