New Coast Guard ship named after NYPD officer who died in 9/11 he was a wonderful human being' | amNewYork

Vincent Danz died at age 38 while responding to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks as a member of the NYPD Emergency Service Unit. He rushed to the World Trade Center after two planes were used as weapons and flown into the buildings, leaving behind a wife and children. Nearly 25 years later, fellow officers gathered at the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan for the christening of a new Coast Guard fast-response cutter, the USCGC Vincent Danz. NYPD Officer Stephan Stefanakos said Danz’s family was most important to him and that he adjusted his schedule to take heavy equipment operation classes for his future. Danz also served as a Port Security Specialist Second Class in the Coast Guard Reserve, and the Coast Guard named the newest ship in his honor.

"Officer Vincent Danz was just 38 years old when he died while responding to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. A member of the NYPD's elite Emergency Service Unit (ESU), Danz was just one of the many first responders who put others before himself when he rushed to the World Trade Center after two planes were used as weapons and flown into the buildings during a terrorist attack. He rushed to disaster and lost list life, leaving a wife and children behind."

"Although almost 2 1/2 decades have passed since that faithful day, his fellow cops who knew and worked with him kept the NYPD pledge to never forget and gathered on Friday for the christening of a brand new Coast Guard ship, a fast-response cutter. NYPD Officer Stephan Stefanakos worked alongside Vincent Danz, a fallen NYPD Officer from 1991, in front of the USCGC Vincent Danz at the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan, Friday, May 22, 2026."

"It's one of these things where you almost wish we weren't here, because what happened just about 25 years ago shouldn't have happened. However, it's a great honor that the Coast Guard is honoring Vinny, Det. Steve Stefanakos of ESU said. Family was the most important thing to him, his wife, and his girls. And you know, on the morning of Sept. 11, Vinny had done a tour change, he swapped from four to 12, which he was supposed to do, to a day tour, and the reason why he did that was on Tuesdays and Thursdays Vinny was taking heavy equipment operation classes."

"In addition to responding to some of the most serious and dangerous situations the city had to offer, Danz was also a Port Security Specialist Second Class in the United States Coast Guard Reserve. In order to honor his ultimate sacrifice, the Coast Guard named their newest ship aft"

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