Made from WTC steel, the USS New York is a ship of remembrance

A new Navy ship partly built with steel from the World Trade Center carries the motto “Never Forget.” Aliah O’Neill talks to Lt. Erin Millea who is serving aboard the recently commissioned USS New York.

 As far as her family history goes, Millea credits her grandmother with sparking her interest in her Irish heritage. Millea’s great-great-grandfather, Patrick Leahy, was born on St. Patrick’s Day in 1852 in County Tipperary. He eventually came to the U.S. as a boy and settled in Emmetsburg, Iowa in 1880, where he met and married Millea’s great-great-grandmother, a Brennan. The Millea side of her family also has Irish roots in County Clare.

 When asked about what it means to serve her country during wartime, Millea mentions that her friends and family initially expressed nervousness over her joining the military. Millea responds, “From the outside looking in, without being part of it, it does look scary. But the more you know the inner workings of the military, it’s not as scary…I take a lot of pride in being able to serve our country. My capacity might not be as great as some of the other service members going out on frontlines, but especially during times of conflict, I think it’s important to do the duty I signed up for, and I wouldn’t change it.” She adds, “It’s a really huge honor to be a part of the crew of New York, especially because she stands for New York City’s perseverance—if we deploy with her it’ll show that we can be knocked down, but you won’t keep us down.”

 The actual commitment of soldiers like Lt. Millea and the symbolic commitment of the USS New York, expressed through her motto, crest, and design, have deeply resonated with New Yorkers. Millea strongly attests to this—just being in New York City in her uniform has prompted people to come up to her and share their stories. Many of these people lost loved ones in the September 11th attacks and thanked Millea for her work aboard the symbolic ship. “There are so many people who never found remains, never had anything to hold on to,” says Millea.“This gives them something – each and every one of those people who gave their lives on 9/11 is part of that ship now. The crest of our ship [depicts] a Phoenix rising from the ashes, so I think it’s very much about rebirth.”

 One story that Millea says she’ll never forget involved a woman’s brother who was killed on 9/11, which was also his birthday. Millea saw the woman give a talk and then thanked her afterwards for sharing her story and promising to think of her on the anniversary. The woman ended up giving Millea her bracelet, which is engraved with her brother’s name and the saying “All gave some, some gave all.” Millea says she wears it every day so that she can remember not just one story, but the stories of an entire country affected by the events of September 11th. Ultimately, it is these stories—of loss, love, and perseverance—that give the USS New York her real weight. “When things get rough, I can always look down and see why I’m doing this,” Millea says. “I’m giving up myself like everyone else has given something—‘all gave some’—so this is the some that I can give.”
 

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Nster.com