Museum Acquires a Photo Archive Documenting a Special Journey

Recently, the 9/11 Memorial Museum received a donation of 94 digital images and 12 framed prints by photographer Cynthia Robin Richardson-Clark recording the maiden voyage of the USS New York from Norfolk, Va. to New York City in September 2011. By intention the trip coincided with America’s solemn marking of the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the dedication of the national 9/11 Memorial.

Richardson-Clark, the only civilian member of the media crew invited to join the three-day journey aboard the ship, recalled the excursion as beginning in beautiful weather before encountering the remnants of Hurricane Irene. The low clouds and misty rain attending the ship’s approach to New York Harbor did little to diminish the pride felt by those on board as the Statue of Liberty and the newly rising One World Trade Center became visible through the grey fog.

Built with seven tons of steel recovered from the twin towers, the USS New York, which functions as an amphibious transport dock and landing platform, is the fifth U.S. naval ship to be named after the state of New York. On the inaugural sail to its namesake city, the ship carried a crew of 300, a delegation of U.S. Marines, and a special group of passengers consisting of 9/11 family members and first responders. Richardson-Clark’s work captures many aspects of the historic trip: the ship’s impressive features and polished crew, the commemorative cargo it carried, including examples of tribute steel cut from the remains of the towers, and the mood of dignity that prevailed throughout the journey. Especially noteworthy are her images of the capstone ceremony when the vessel paused in the Hudson River alongside Ground Zero and sounded its blast horn as the crew unfurled a monumental American flag and all aboard saluted the sacred ground on shore.

By Jan Seidler Ramirez, 9/11 Memorial Museum Chief Curator and VP of Collections