Arlington’s namesake U.S. Navy ship recently hosted a cruise for first responders and family members of those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Participating 9/11 first responders included active and retired personnel from Arlington County and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Also invited on the trip from Norfolk Naval Station were several members from the Arlington Emergency Communications Center who supported rescue efforts at the Pentagon.
Navy Capt. Ian Scaliatine, commanding officer of the USS Arlington, extended the invitation via the USS Arlington Community Alliance.
“It was great to see the enthusiasm and professionalism of the crew. We were welcomed warmly everywhere we went on the ship,” said retired Arlington police Capt. Kevin Reardon, who leads the alliance.
Reardon said Capt. Scaliatine “is someone who fully understands what the USS Arlington represents to the Pentagon 9/11 families, the first responders to the Pentagon on 9/11, and the Arlington community.”
Herb Wolk, a 9/11 family member who participated, was impressed with what he saw on the cruise.
“The pride the crew showed in the ship’s name was amazing,” he said.
With a crew of 360, the 24,000-ton USS Arlington is a 685-foot-long Navy amphibious assault ship, capable of delivering 700 Marines by air or sea to hotspots or on humanitarian missions. It is the third U.S. Navy vessel to bear the county’s name.
The USS Arlington and its sister ships, the USS New York and USS Somerset, were named to honor communities most directly impacted by the 2001 terrorist attacks, and salute those who responded to the scenes.
The USS Arlington Community Alliance, a non-profit organization, works to maintain links between the ship and the Arlington community. It was founded by the late community activist Jim Pebley, who had been a naval aviator.
Photo via USS Arlington/Facebook
