The ship was named for Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in honor of the 40 passengers and crew who gave their lives on United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The passengers and crew prevented the plane from reaching its intended target but tragically crashed in Stoneycreek Township in Somerset County.
“It is important to remember those who came before us and honor their sacrifice,” said Somerset Command Master Chief Jared Mueller. “The selfless acts of the Flight 93 passengers saved countless lives, and their determination inspires us on a daily basis.”
The Somerset crew was joined by family members of Andrew “Sonny” Garcia and Deora Bodley, two of the heroes of Flight 93. Crew members honored the sacrifice of the 40 heroes by ringing a bell and placing a flower for each person in a vase on a memorial table.
“This is a very special ship – Somerset – one of three built from the steel of the World Trade Center and from a mining machine in Somerset County,” said Cmdr. Jeffrey Kelso, Somerset’s Executive Officer. “Whenever we have families aboard Somerset, it reminds us why the ship was named after Somerset County, and that it is in their honor.”
In addition to the shipboard ceremony each year, Somerset sends Sailors to Somerset County to participate in the Flight 93 National Memorial 9/11 commemoration and other outreach events. Their presence fosters the strong relationship with the Somerset County community and allows Sailors to share the significance of being assigned to Somerset.
“It is an absolute honor to be a part of the Somerset crew and one of the Sailors selected to participate in the 9/11 remembrance in Somerset County,” said Lt. Edwin Handley, Somerset’s command chaplain. “Our ship honors the heroes of Flight 93 in everything it is and does, and it is important to carry on their legacy to educate younger generations.”
Somerset is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock assigned to Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 3 and home ported in San Diego. The ship’s keel contains steel from a mining machine standing near the crash site in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Every deck of the ship contains mementos of Flight 93, including a dedicated passageway leading to the Memorial Room, which bears the names of the passengers. Like its sister ships USS New York (LPD 21) and USS Arlington (LPD 24), Somerset was named in honor of those who lost their lives during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
ESG 3 comprises four amphibious squadrons, 11 amphibious warships, and eight naval support elements including approximately 18,000 active-duty and reserve Sailors and Marines. As Deputy Commander for Amphibious and Littoral Warfare, U.S. 3rd Fleet, Commander, ESG 3 also oversees the 14 littoral combat ships under Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 1 and MCMGRU 3. ESG 3 is postured in support of U.S. 3rd Fleet as a globally responsive and scalable naval command element, capable of generating, deploying, and employing naval forces and formations for crisis and contingency response, forward presence, and major combat operations focusing on amphibious operations, humanitarian and disaster relief (HADR) and support to defense civil authorities (DSCA), and expeditionary logistics.
For more news from Expeditionary Strike Group 3, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/esg3/.