Just one day before the commissioning of the U.S.S. New York, local veterans welcomed Marines from the ship built with World Trade Center steel in its bow.
Pat Devine, commander of the Theodore Korony American Legion Post, invited 55 Marines to a luncheon at Michael’s Waterfront Dinning at the American Turner Club, 748 Clarence Avenue. The party took place on Friday, November 6.
Devine told the Marines that the waterfront was a part of the warmth of the borough, and extolled them on the virtues of being in the only NYC borough that is connected to the American mainland.
“The purpose for this event is that it celebrates the commissioning of the U.S.S. New York on November 7,” Devine said. “These Marines are the crew for a vessel with seven-and-a-half tons of steel from the World Trade Center built into its bow, the front of the ship. The motto of the crew of the ship is to ‘never forget’ the events of 9/11.”
The afternoon’s festivities included food and drink, and was a time for the Marines to kick back and relax before being deployed to fight the war on terror.
It occurred on the same day as the parade for the New York Yankees in Manhattan, and many felt that the soldiers deserved even more of an honor for their sacrifices preserving the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.
“The Marines here today are providing the freedoms we enjoy, like watching the Yankees win the World Series,” said event organizer and Never Forget Foundation president Eugene Lynch.
Ron Tucci, a former New York State commissioner of Veterans Affairs, said that he thought the event provided the opportunity for people in the community, especially veterans and their families, to see some real heroes.
“We are honoring champions downtown with the Yankee parade, but these guys here are no less heroes,” Tucci stated. “These Marines are true heroes in my eyes.”
The event was another milestone for the ship’s crew, which enjoyed watching the fifth game of the World Series with Mayor Bloomberg aboard the vessel, and was his special guests for game six at Yankee Stadium.
“To just be able to bring the ship back home to New York where this war started is a tremendous feeling,” said Gunnery Sergeant Jeffrey Fink, who serves aboard the U.S.S. New York. “I get chills just thinking about it.”
