The ship partially forged from 7.5 tons of steel from the World Trade Center site officially became part of the Navy fleet Saturday.

The commissioning ceremony for the USS New York on Manhattan's West Side began with a moment of silence for the victims of Thursday's shooting at Fort Hood, Texas and the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg helped set the first watch on the ship, while Governor David Paterson and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani attended.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a former New York senator, said in her keynote address that the ship encompasses the durability and perseverance of those who sacrificed their lives in the September 11th terrorist attacks.

"The motto of the USS New York is 'Strength forged through sacrifice. Never forget,'" said Clinton. "By commissioning this ship today, we reaffirm the best and the worst of humanity, that we have seen from September 11th to Fort Hood."

She also remarked on how an earlier Navy battleship named the USS New York served in both World Wars and was present at the Battle of Iwo Jima.

The new 684-feet-long Navy transport took five years to build, and in 2002 it was decided that the vessel would be named for New York. It has a crew of 360 but it can carry about 700 Marines in action, and is expected to be part of the Navy fleet for the next four decades.

"It serves as reminder each and every day about why we do what we do and it also serves as a link between New Orleans and New York," said Commander F. Curtis Jones, the ship's commanding officer. "The steel recovered by New Yorkers was reformed and reconstructed by the shipbuilders who had lost everything in [Hurricane] Katrina and its aftermath."

Paterson said that the amphibious ship represents "a step out of the rubble of September 11th and a step into a future that's hopefully bright."

"In building this ship and sending this ship all around the world through friendly and hostile waters, we are sending a message to everyone that Americans do not cower in the face of evil," said the governor.

Family members of victims of the World Trade Center attacks found the ceremony to be especially personal.

"It just represents to me the heartache of September 11th and the resilience of our nation," said Rosemary Cain, who lost her son on September 11th.

To cap off the ceremony, the Navy's Blue Angels jets flew over the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge and 19 cannons were fired consecutively from Pier 86 to Pier 88.

The ship arrived in the city Monday and will be open to the public before leaving for its home port in Virginia on Thursday. Visitors are told to bring a photo ID and wear comfortable shoes. Large backpacks and packages will not be allowed.

For more information on tour dates and times, visit ussny.org.