You probably expected to see a 9/11 memorial rise from "Ground Zero." Perhaps a symbolic statue or a new building would stand in that spot, to symbolize our resilience in the face of terrorism. However, a memorial to the World Trade Center was unveiled today … in New York Harbor.

The USS New York, a 684-foot-long aircraft and personnel carrier, was commissioned today with a 21-gun salute just off the coast of New York City. The ship is made out of the several tons of steel that used to comprise the World Trade Center buildings.

The ship had been under construction in Louisiana for over four years — construction continued even through Hurricane Katrina. While various officials argue over what monument should stand on Ground Zero, this floating memorial exists as a great symbol of American strength and recovery.

Personally, I think the memorial is creative and, obviously, an efficient use of materials. More than that, though, it honors the servicemen and women (firefighters and police officers included) who walked into the World Trade Center buildings rather than running the other way on 9/11.

To learn more about the USS New York, click on this link.