9/11 Families - USS New York News

News

Honored Port Pilot Harbors 9/11 Grief 
Published: New York Post  l  November 2, 2009


NEIL KEATING Lost brother at WTC.

At 5:30 this morning, the Navy was to  toss harbor pilot Neil Keating the keys 
to its newest warship. 


After shaking hands with USS New York  Cmdr. Curtis Jones and being 
presented a copy of The Post -- a Sandy Hook Pilots Association tradition -- 
Keating,  52, was to guide the amphibious landing platform into the city. 
"Hopefully  without scratching the paint," he joked.
 
He was selected for this honor because  his firefighter brother Paul 
was killed on Sept. 11.
 
"I feel like I am representing all  of the 9/11 families on the ship," he said. "It's 
fitting that 7.5  tons of Twin Towers steel were used to make the bow, 
because that's where the  ship takes a pounding and keeps trudging forward 
through roughs seas." 

It's Keating's job to know the harbor  better than anyone else, but he also 
often serves as a diplomat and tour guide. 

"We're like ambassadors when we go  on board," he said. "On ships from 
around the world, they always ask  us to point out the location of the World   
Tade Center site, where it was and what's being done there."

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

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