Navy plans to name two ships at places where Sept. 11 planes crashed

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON

The Navy announced Thursday it will name two planned ships after the places where two of the planes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001, crashed.

The USS Arlington will be named for Arlington, Va., where the Pentagon is. The USS Somerset will be named for the county in Pennsylvania where it is believed hijackers deliberately crashed their plane after passengers rose up against them.

The ships are amphibious transport docks, the eighth and ninth of the San Antonio class. Each will have a crew of 363 people and will be capable of carrying 699 Marines.

Both the Arlington and Somerset will be built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in New Orleans, the Navy said.

"The courage and heroism of the people aboard those flights, and in the Pentagon, will never be forgotten by the American people, and as these ships engage in combating terrorism, they will leave a legacy that will never be forgotten by those wishing to do harm to this country," said Navy Secretary Gordon England in announcing the names of the vessels.

An earlier ship of the same class was named USS New York after the site of the World Trade Center attacks.

Both the Arlington and the Somerset will be the third U.S. naval vessels to bear each name.