With a year to go before it even touches the water, the Navy's amphibious assault ship USS New York has already made history _ twice. It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center, and it survived Hurricane Katrina.

That combination of disasters gives the ship a unique standing among the 500 or so Avondale, La., shipyard workers building it, said Tony Quaglino, a crane superintendent who postponed retirement to have a hand in the New York's construction.

"I think Katrina made us more aware of the tragedy in New York," said the 66-year-old Quaglino. "One was manmade, one was natural, but they're both a common bond."

USS New York is about 45 percent complete and should be ready for launch in mid-2007. Katrina disrupted construction when it pounded the Gulf Coast last summer, but the 684-foot vessel escaped serious damage, and workers were back at the yard near New Orleans two weeks after the storm.

The USS New York will be hitting the water in 2007, built from steel from the World Trade Centers - it's mission to fight terrorism. You couldn't ask for a better way to put the memory of the WTC to good use. But the story also extends to the victims of hurricane Katrina. The shipyard building the USS New York was hit by Katrina and many of the people there lost their homes. Two weeks later they were back to work, many of them still living at the shipyard. That's dedication. I'm also impressed with Northrop Grumman for allowing them to do so.


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