USS Arlington (LPD 24)

The USS Arlington was commissioned on April 6, 2013, at Naval Station Norfolk.

Connect with the Ship and Crew

• Visit the official website of the USS Arlington (LPD-24).
• Learn about the USS Arlington crest.

Background

On September 9, 2004, the Secretary of the Navy held a ceremony at the Pentagon to name the USS Arlington and USS Somerset in remembrance and honor of the victims, their families, and the rescue personnel and citizens who responded to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. (The USS New York was named in a separate ceremony in New York.)

The USS Arlington honors the 184 victims and the thousands of emergency, fire and rescue personnel of Arlington County and localities in the National Capital Region who provided critical emergency assistance after the attack.

“This crew embodies the resilience and determination that Arlington represents,” said Cmdr. Darren Nelson, PCU Arlington’s commanding officer. “Having that constant reminder of knowing what could happen, and how we’re here to help prevent it from ever happening again is something we take very seriously.”

Timeline

• April 6, 2013: The USS Arlington was commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk. Watch the ceremony
• March 26, 2011: The USS Arlington is christened at the shipyard in Pascagoula, MS.
  • Watch the ceremony.
  • View our photo album.
  • Read the keynote remarks made by Arlington Fire Chief James Schwartz at the christening ceremony.
• Dec. 11, 2010: The USS Arlington command staff visit Arlington and presented a shipbuilding update to the County Board. The ship is now afloat.
• Nov. 23, 2010: The ship is launched.
• Sept. 11, 2008: Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter presented steel from the Pentagon 9-11 crash site to Arlington County Board Chairman J. Walter Tejada. Arlington County will donate the steel to be displayed in the the soon-to-be-commissioned USS Arlington. Also on hand were U.S. Senators John Warner (R-Va.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.), both former secretaries of the Navy.
• June 2007: The Arlington County Board appoints the final members of the Commissioning Committee at its June 2007 meeting.
• Jan. 2007: The Board names the first members of the Commissioning Committee.
• Jan. 11, 2007: The Washington Post runs a Arlington/Alexandria Extra cover story
• Sept. 2004: The U.S. Navy announces that it will honor the victims and heroes of 9/11 by naming three new ships the USS Arlington, the USS New York, and the USS Somerset.