Sailors of USS Arlington gathered on the deck for a moment of silence marking the moment the airliners crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania 25 years ago.
The Norfolk-based USS Arlington was named to commemorate the attack at the Pentagon, where 184 people died. The amphibious landing dock was commissioned in 2013.
Chief Warrant Officer II Lucy Barber was seven years old when the attack happened.
“I was in second grade, and I just remember everybody around me was kind of worried because I'm from Northern Virginia, so a lot of our families worked up in D.C. So we were worried for our families.” she said.
The attack factored into her decision to join the Marines. Leadership on USS Arlington estimate that 47 percent of the USS Arlington’s crew is less than 25 years old, meaning they weren’t alive in 2001.
“Frankly, most of my fellow sailors were either too young or not around yet,” said Petty Officer Third Class Connor Ray Lewis, who is 21 years old. “Most of them are the same age as me. We’ve got a pretty young crew here, but so I don't get too much out of them, honestly.”
Two of Lewis’ uncles are New York City firefighters, who worked at ground zero.
“They don't really like to talk about it too much. They just tell me it was a day worth remembering. It's the main thing that they tell me,” Lewis said. “It's something to live up to. You know, it's a legacy to live up to. I can only hope that I fill the shoes. It means an opportunity to live up to expectations.”
USS Arlington was in New York City for the 250th anniversary of the United States earlier this summer. Some of the people who toured the ship had friends or family who died on 9/11.
“Whenever you're learning about it, they don't really tell you how people felt, what they saw and stuff like that,” said Petty Officer Second Class Ruby Lopez. “It's more of just like the events that happened. So getting to talk to the families one-on-one really does open up a whole other side of that day.”
The ship has a tribute room near the pilot house, with a quilt created by Virginia middle school students with panels for each of the 184 who died at the Pentagon, along with photos and captions describing the aftermath of the attack.
Intelligence Specialist First Class Jonathan Norrod was in high school during the attack. He joined the Navy three years later.
“I was in choir practice, and we watched the second hit on the television on this little rollout cart, and it was at that moment that I decided I wanted to join,” he said. “So every time I go in there, it kind of takes me back 25 years ago, and it's kind of surreal that it's already been 25 years for me. And when I look at the names, I just think these were all people. They all had lives. They all had families and loved ones.”
