USS Somerset (LPD-25)
| Company type | Amphibious transport dock |
|---|---|
| Industry | Naval shipbuilding |
| Founded | 21 December 2007 (contract awarded) |
| Headquarters | Pascagoula , United States |
| Products | Warship |
| Parent | Northrop Grumman Ship Systems |
USS Somerset (LPD-25) is a United States Navy amphibious transport dock vessel. It represents the fourth ship in the U.S. Navy to carry the name and is the second warship so designated, succeeding earlier vessels such as a World War II-era armed cargo ship named after several Somerset counties.
This contemporary vessel honors Somerset County, Pennsylvania, commemorating the brave passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 who thwarted a terrorist plot on September 11, 2001, by forcing their hijacked plane to crash in Stonycreek Township within Somerset County. The motto "Let's Roll"—uttered by one passenger before attempting to regain control of the aircraft—is prominently displayed above the ship’s aft deck, alongside a "93" emblem symbolizing the flag flown aboard the ship.
Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England remarked:
"The valor and heroism demonstrated by those aboard Flight 93 will remain forever remembered, and USS Somerset will stand as an enduring symbol against those who seek to harm our nation."
Construction
The keel of Somerset incorporates about 22 tons of steel sourced from a Marion 7500 dragline located near the Flight 93 crash site.
On 21 December 2007, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula, Mississippi, received the contract to construct Somerset. The keel was laid on 11 December 2009 at Northrop Grumman’s Avondale facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. The ship was launched on 14 April 2012 and subsequently christened on 28 July by Mrs. Mary Jo Myers, spouse of General Richard Myers, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Acceptance trials were successfully completed in September 2013.
Somerset was the final Navy vessel to exit the Avondale shipyard before its closure on 3 February 2014. The ship was officially commissioned on 1 March 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.