Ship built with WTC steel arrives in namesake city

Slideshow

The USS New York is seen in the Hudson River near ground zero during a 21-gun salute from the deck of the ship, November 2, 2009, in New York City. The ship has 7.5 tons of steel from the World Trade Center in its bow and is open for public visitation this week and next. (Hiroko Masuike, Getty Images)

NEW YORK (AP) — The new Navy assault ship USS New York, built with World Trade Center steel, has arrived in its namesake city with a 21-gun salute near the site of the 2001 terrorist attack.

First responders, families of Sept. 11 victims and the public were invited Monday to a waterfront viewing area, where they could see the crew standing at attention along the ship's deck.

The big ship paused. Then the 21 shots were fired, with a cracking sound, in three bursts.

The bow of the $1 billion ship, built in Louisiana, contains about 7.5 tons of trade center steel.

After the ground zero stop, the ship sails up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge. Then it turns around and heads south to Manhattan's Pier 88. The official commissioning ceremony will be on Saturday.

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