Student Attends Commission of USS New York

LWC sophomore Alysha Wilson of Greensburg, Ky., and her fiance, David Foley, stand in the bow of the USS New York. The warship's bow includes 7.5 tons of steel from the World Trade Center. Behind the couple is Western Manhattan.

COLUMBIA, Ky. -- A Lindsey Wilson College student was part of history last month when she attended the commissioning of the USS New York.

LWC sophomore Alysha Wilson of Greensburg, Ky., attended the Nov. 7 ceremony in New York because her fiance, David Foley, also of Greensburg, is a member of the warship.

The permanent home of the USS New York -- which was christened in March 2008 at Northrop Grumman's Avondale Shipyard outside of New Orleans -- is in Norfolk, Va. Its commission ceremony was held  in New York because 7.5 tons of the ship's steel is from the World Trade Center Towers. The steel was used in the ship's bow.

"It was just an incredible experience," said Wilson, who attended the ceremony with Foley's grandmother, Mary Mabin of Greensburg. "The whole ceremony gave you goose bumps, and it was such a wonderful event."

Wilson, who made her first trip to New York, said the Big Apple "was crazy and so alive when we got there."

Adding to the festive atmosphere was many New Yorkers were also celebrating the New York Yankees' record 27th World Series title, which they won Nov. 4.

"Everybody was so hyped about it in New York," she said. "Every New Yorker we met was excited about the commission. They were calling it 'their ship' because of the steel from the World Trade Center that was used in the bow."

Foley gave Wilson and his grandmother a guided tour of the USS New York, which included a look at where he sleeps on the ship.

"I don't know how he sleeps in such a little space -- it's very tight and there is not a lot of room to move," Wilson said.

Wilson said the commission ceremony was "a very memorable experience for me," especially at the end when the ship's crew ran to the front of the ship.

"It was adorable to see them running out there," she said. "It also gave me goose bumps to watch something like that."

Wilson said Foley is "very proud to be serving in the Navy, and he's very proud to be a member of the USS New York crew."

"The ship means so much to the people of New York," she said. "When we were there, I met a woman whose brother was killed in the 9-11 attacks when the first plane hit the towers. She was also in the building, getting in the elevator, but she was able to get out. Her brother didn't make it. You realize then how special this ship is to the people of New York and what an honor it is to be a part of it."