American Ambassador Visits US Navy Vessel In Devonport

The US ambassador has visited US Navy vessel USS New York during its visit to Devonport.

The ship has recently been taking part in Exercise Trident Juncture, which involved 31 nations including the UK.

Some of the metal used to make USS New York was taken from the Twin Towers, which were destroyed in the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Speaking to Forces News on board, US ambassador Woody Johnson, explained his close connection to the ship: "The USS New York is important to me - they asked me to be involved in the commissioning of the ship.

"I saw it being built in New Orleans and was introduced to the crew, so I was on that journey along with the people that were running the ship.

"The symbolism of having the steel from the Twin Towers at the front of the ship, (was) so wherever the ship goes, it's led by that memory of New York and what happened there."

The bow of the ship is made up of more than 11-and-a-half thousand tonnes of steel from the Twin Towers 

Lieutenant Ryan Ross said: "If you walk around the ship, it's actually like a memorial to the 9/11 attacks there in New York.

"There are different types of steel around the ship that kind of commemorate that."

The ship also carries a firefighter outfit which was used on the day of the attack.