SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA CALLS FLIGHT 93 MEMORIAL HALLOWED GROUND

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Calls Flight 93 Memorial 'Hallowed Ground'
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

SHANKSVILLE, Pa., Sept. 10, 2012 - On the eve of the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta toured the Flight 93 National Memorial here and called the passengers and crew of the ill-fated plane American heroes.

The plane, which took off from Newark, N.J. destined for San Francisco, crashed after passengers and crew members, aware of the attacks in New York and at the Pentagon, overpowered hijackers to prevent them from reaching their target. The 9/11 Commission said the terrorists most likely wanted to crash the plane into the White House or the U.S. Capitol.

"[They] responded with selflessness, determination and tremendous courage. And at the cost of their own lives, they made the fateful decision to fight back," Panetta told reporters while touring the memorial, laying a wreath to honor the victims and speaking with relatives of those who perished on that day 11 years ago. "Their example continues to inspire and to strengthen our nation."

Since 9/11, Panetta said, millions of young men and women have been inspired by their sacrifice to step forward and serve the United States.

"And like the heroes of Flight 93, they put their lives on the line for our country," he added. "For more than a decade, they have fought to ensure that such an attack would never happen again."

Panetta said the visit was an opportunity to renew the nation's pledge to the victims of 9/11, their families and to all Americans to "remain forever vigilant against threats to our homeland."

The nation has accomplished many things since the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil, he said. "We have brought [Osama] bin Laden to justice, we've decimated the leadership of al-Qaida, [and] we have seriously undermined their ability to plan and conduct an attack similar to 9/11.

"Our troops are still fighting to deny safe haven to al-Qaida and to their extremist allies in Afghanistan," he continued. "We are continuing to fight them in Yemen, in Somalia and in North Africa. Make no mistake -- we will pursue and we will fight them wherever they go. There is no place that will be safe for them to hide from justice."

The United States is stronger and safer as a result of the sacrifices in Shanksville, he said, and as a result of the "tremendous sacrifice of those who have served this nation over these last 10 years."

"As I've often said, one of the toughest jobs I have is to write notes to the families of those who have been lost in battle," he said. "With each note, I express the tremendous sorrow that we all have for their loss, but I also say that they gave their lives for all they loved.

"They gave their lives for the families they loved and for the country they loved, and there is no greater sacrifice than to do that," Panetta continued. "That's what these heroes did here. As a result, they are forever American heroes. This is hallowed ground. This is hallowed ground because this is the final resting place of American patriots."

USS SOMERSET NAMED IN HONOR OF FLIGHT 93 WHICH CRASHED ON 9-11

FROM:  U.S. NAVY

From NAVSEA Office of Corporate Communications

AVONDALE, La. (NNS) -- The future USS Somerset (LPD 25) launched April 14 from Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Avondale Shipyard, marking a key milestone in the ship's construction process.

LPD 25 is the ninth ship of the San Antonio class, and is named in honor of the courage of the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville in Somerset County, Pa., on 9/11.

Over the weeks following the Flight 93 crash, recovery personnel retrieved more than 95 percent of the airplane's wreckage from the crash site. An American flag was hoisted on the top of a power shovel or "dragline" on a hill dominating the area. The dragline had been used in coal stripping at one time, and the equipment with the flag became a symbol of the effort.

In the summer of 2008, steel from the dragline's bucket was melted down and cast into LPD 25's bow stem. Somerset is the final of three ships named to honor heroes of the September 11th attacks, joining the USS New York (LPD 21) and USS Arlington (LPD 24), respectively. LPD 25 is the fifth U.S. Navy ship named Somerset.

"As the ninth ship of the San Antonio class, LPD 25's launch represents an important success for the entire program," said Jay Stefany, LPD 17 program manager for the Navy's Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. "The Navy and the shipbuilder have incorporated many lessons learned and driven efficiencies into the production, resulting in the most complete ship at launch to date for the LPD 17 class. I look forward to HII delivering this critical capability to the Navy."

These versatile ships incorporate both a flight deck to accommodate CH-46 helicopters and MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and a well deck that can launch and recover landing craft and amphibious vehicles. The San Antonio class' increased vehicle space and substantial cargo carrying capacity make it a key element of twenty-first century Amphibious Ready Groups, Expeditionary Strike Groups, and Joint Task Forces.

In addition to performing their primary mission, Somerset's sister ships have supported anti-piracy operations and provided humanitarian assistance and foreign disaster relief operations in Haiti after the earthquake.

Six ships from the San Antonio class have been delivered to the Navy, including USS San Antonio (LPD 17), USS New Orleans (LPD 18), USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), USS Green Bay (LPD 20), USS New York (LPD 21) and USS San Diego (LPD 22). LPD 22 recently transited from the shipyard to the homeport in San Diego. The commissioning ceremony for San Diego is scheduled for May 19, in San Diego. Early construction activities are underway for LPD 26 in Pascagoula, Miss., and material for LPD 27 is on order.

As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships, a Naval Sea Systems Command affiliated PEO, is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all major surface combatants, amphibious ships, special mission ships, support ships, and special warfare craft. Currently, the majority of shipbuilding programs managed by PEO Ships are benefiting from serial production efficiencies, which are critical to delivering ships on cost and schedule.