by Lt. Wesley Holzapfel, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn
(MAYPORT, Fla.) – As the nation prepares to observe the 16th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a 1997 Beach High School graduate and Savannah, Georgia native is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard a ship built using steel from the World Trade Center.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2) Latresha Williams is a ship's boatswain aboard USS New York, responsible for the material condition of all of the seamanship gear - the cranes, small boats, the anchors, making sure that the personnel operating the gear are fully qualified, and ensuring the gear is ready to work when it is supposed to. She is also responsible for the amphibious mission of the ship - bringing in all types of amphibious crafts, embarking and disembarking U.S. Marines. USS New York, one of the Navy’s newest and most advanced amphibious ships, is designed to deliver Marines and their equipment where they are needed to support a variety of missions ranging from amphibious assaults to humanitarian relief efforts.
“Hard work really pays off,” said Williams. “My mom always taught me you should never do anything half way. You should put your all into it and you'll reap the benefits of it. That has served true my entire time in the Navy.”
Homeported in Mayport, Florida, USS New York, named for the state of New York, is longer than two football fields at 684 feet, is 105 feet wide and weighs more than 24,000 tons. It has four diesel engines that can push the ship through the water in excess of 26 mph.
According to the Navy, New York’s bow, forged from steel salvaged from the wreckage of the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, embodies the strength and determination of the people of the United States: to recover, rally, and take the fight to the enemy and honor the memory of those who were affected by the attacks. USS New York forges an enduring alliance between the people of New York, the ship, and her crew
Serving in the Navy and aboard New York, Williams is constantly learning how to be the best leader, Sailor and person possible by handling numerous responsibilities, meeting deadlines, and forging lasting professional relationships.
“I am extremely proud to be selected as a CWO2. At the time there were only three female chief warrant officers ship's boatswains,” said Williams.
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied aboard USS New York. More than 400 men and women make up the ship's crew, which keeps all parts of the ship running smoothly, from washing dishes and preparing meals to handling weaponry and maintaining the engines. An additional 700 Marines can be embarked. New York is capable of transporting the Marines and landing them where they are needed via helicopters, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and landing craft.
“It’s a ship like no other,” said Capt. Todd Vandegrift, commanding officer, USS New York. “It represents the fighting spirit and resiliency of our Navy and Nation. While 9/11 maybe a distant memory for many, the events of that day are ever present before the crew and they shape the service and performance of each Sailor. The USS New York is at the forefront of readiness, amphibious operations and warfighting innovation. From being the ship of choice for the most demanding mission, to the highest scores in the amphibious transport dock (LPD) fleet during the USS New York’s recent Board of Inspection and Survey Inspections Material Condition Inspection, this ship and its crew leads the LPD fleet. It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to help guide and mold these young men and women’s futures.”
Collectively, the San Antonio-class ships will functionally replace more than 41 ships providing the Navy and Marine Corps with modern sea-based platforms. Amphibious transport dock ships are warships that embark, transport, and land elements of a landing force for a variety of expeditionary warfare missions. These ships support amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions and can serve as secondary aviation platforms for amphibious ready groups. Because of their inherent capabilities, these ships have been and will continue to be called upon to support humanitarian and other contingency missions on short notice as well.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s high-tech amphibious assault ships, Williams and other New York sailors are proud to part of a warfighting team that embodies the spirit, strength and resilience of the American people.
“Serving in the military has meant a great deal to me,” said Williams. “It's afforded me all the benefits that I wouldn’t have gotten had I gone to college and gotten a normal job. I am contributing to something greater than myself. Serving on the USS New York was a lucky draw for me. I commissioned the USS Somerset (a ship named after the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93), so I am intimately familiar with the gravity of serving on a tribute ship. To serve on a tribute ship and have family members of the victims of 9/11 visit on a continual basis and thank us for honoring their family members is perhaps the greatest compliment that I've received.”