Shortly, after the tragic September 11, 2001, George E. Pataki, Governor of New York, wrote a request letter to the Secretary of the Navy, Gordon England, to bestow the name USS New York (LPD-21) on a surface warship involved in the War on Terror in honor of 9/11 victims.  Governor Pataki said he understood state names are currently reserved for submarines but he gave special consideration so the name could be given to a surface ship.  On August 28, 2002, the request was approved.

The construction of the ship was built with steel.  Twenty four tons of the steel came from the small amount of rubble from the World Trade Center actually reserved for posterity.  Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down at Amite Foundry and Machine in Amite, Louisiana to cast the ship’s bow section.  It was poured into the molds on September 9, 2003.  With seven tons melted down and cast to form the ship’s bow.  The shipyard workers reportedly treated it with reverence by gently touching it as they walked by.  In 2003, the contract to build New York was awarded to Northrop Grumman Ship Systems of New Orleans, Louisiana in 2003.  New York was under construction in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina. 

On March 1, 2008, New York was christened in a ceremony at Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Dotty England, the ship’s sponsor, smashed the traditional champagne bottle on the ship’s bow and christened the ship New York.  Several dignitaries attended the christening, including Louisiana Congressman William J. Jefferson, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, members of the New York Police Department and New York Fire Department and family members of 9/11 victims.

Starting May, 26, 2008, History Channel International will premiere “Hero Ships”, featuring interviews and insiders look into the real heroic stories of sailors.

On May 14, 2005, USS America (CV-66) was deliberately sunk in the Atlantic Ocean after four weeks of live-fire exercises.

America was decommissioned on August 9, 1996. In 2005, the US Navy supercarrier was chosen to be a live-fire test and evaluation platform, to aid the design of future aircraft carriers. On April 19, 2005 she departed the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility to conduct the tests.

The experiment lasted approximately four weeks. The Navy battered America with explosives, both underwater and above the surface, watching from afar and through monitoring devices placed on the vessel. The explosions were designed to simulate attacks by torpedoes, cruise missiles, and the like.

After completion of the tests, America was sunk in a controlled scuttling on May 14, 2005. At the time, no warship of that size had ever been sunk, and effects were closely monitored. America rests 16,860 feet below the Atlantic Ocean surface, roughly 250 miles off the North Carolina coast.

The world’s smallest one-man helicopter will soon take flight in Vinci, Italy. Vinci is the birthplace of Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci, who is credited with having first thought of a vertical-flight machine.

The 75-kilogram (165-pound) helicopter, named GEN H-4, will make a demonstration flight in Vinci on May 25, according to Japanese developer Gennai Yanagisawa.

“Since the concept of our helicopter came from Italy, I always wanted to take a flight in the birthplace of da Vinci,” he said. “I feel like I’m greeting an ancestor. I hope da Vinci would be pleased.”

Yanagisawa has already been to the town in February and has received the blessing of Mayor Dario Parrini.

GEN H-4 has a set of two rotors turning in opposite directions and can fly at a maximum speed of 50 kilometers (31 miles) per hour. In February, Guinness World Records recognized it as the world’s smallest helicopter that can carry a person.

Yanagisawa runs a company in Matsumoto, Japan, selling the helicopter. He has sold five units in Japan and two to US customers. The current model is priced at six million yen (USD 58,250).

Switzerland – Former fighter pilot, Yves Rossy, reaches 186 mph during first public flight with jet-powered wings.

After five years of training and more years of dreaming, Rossy made his first public flight with his self-made flying contraption in front of the world press Wednesday, May 14.

Rossy stepped out of the Swiss Pilatus Porter aircraft at 7,500 feet, unfolded the rigid 8-foot wings strapped to his back and dropped. Passing from free fall to a gentle glide, Rossy triggered four jet turbines and accelerated to 186 mph as a crowd from below cheered for him.

Rossy’s sponsors have dubbed him “Fusion Man” and said, his form of human flight will remain the reserve of very few for now. The price and effort involved are simply too enormous.