The First USS New York-- Part 1: A Gondola in Benedict Arnold's Lake Champlain Fleet

The newest USS New York (LPD-21) was commissioned in 2009 and is classified as an amphibious transport dock. Of interest is that much of the ship's bow is constructed of metal from the World Trade Center.

The papers at the time had much information about the previous U.S. Navy ships by that name.

The very first one was a gondola in the Lake Champlain fleet under the command of Benedict Arnold, generally regarded as the first American fleet, built in 1776. The USS New York was classified as a gondola (gundola) and was flat-bottomed, 53 feet long and 15 feet wide, crewed by 45 men and mounting three guns (one 12-pdr. and two 9-pdrs.)

--Cooter