Keel ceremony held for LPD 24

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - In a traditional Navy ceremony Thursday, the keel of the Navy's eighth amphibious transport dock ship, the Northrop Grumman-built Arlington (LPD 24), was authenticated. More than 100 people attended. The ship is named for the county where the Pentagon is located and honors those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. LPD 24 is a 684-foot-long, 105-foot-wide LPD 17-class transport dock ship. (Source: Globe Newswire, 12/18/08)