Description
This is the commissioning coin of the USS Arlington, one of three LPD’s named to remember those from the 9/11 attacks. USS Arlington (LPD-24, landing platform dock), a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, is the third ship of the US Navy to be named for Arlington County, which was the location of the Pentagon and the crash site of American Airlines Flight 77 during the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001. The USS Arlington honors the 184 victims and the thousands of emergency, fire, and rescue personnel of Arlington County and in the National Capital Region who provided critical emergency assistance after the attack.
Steel taken from the Pentagon after the attacks is displayed aboard in the ship’s museum.
The Coin
This is a round coin struck to commemorate the commissioning of the ship on February 8, 2013 with a commissioning ceremony in Norfolk on April 6, 2013.
On the Front
The USS Arlington Commissioning Coin shows the USS Arlington in front of the US flag protecting the United States of America.
- Dolphins swim in the foreground to bring the ship good luck.
- Gold stars are in the flag, not white, to honor those lost on 9/11.
On the Back
The Pentagon is represented in the middle and has a border of the color of the limestone except the Southwest wall.
- The Southwest wall is in red symbolizing the area of the Pentagon where American Airlines flight 77 hit on September 11, 2001.
- The laurel wreath is in honor of and to commemorate the heroism of the first responders at the Pentagon.
- The trident represents sea prowess and underscores the USS Arlington’s mission to support the deployment of Marines in amphibious warfare missions.
- The Pentagon’s location in Arlington County is recognized by Arlington House in the middle of the Pentagon.
- The 13 stars are from the Department of Defense seal and represent the original 13 states.
- The two benches with the trees, below the eagle, represent two of the 184 benches at the Pentagon memorial.
- The eagle represents strength, vigilance, and resolve. It is soaring but bowing its head in respect for the fallen.
- The crossed swords, Navy Officer sword and Chief Petty Officer cutlass on one side and the Marine Corps Officers and Non-Commissioned Officer swords on the other, symbolize the teamwork of the Navy and Marine Corps on the USS Arlington
The coin comes in a black felt case.
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