S.S. United States

I never had the pleasure of sailing aboard this magnificent, once in a lifetime vessel. As a younster, I remember well my late father taking me to Manhattan's West Side and watching her arrive or depart on yet another crossing.

Living in southern New Jersey, I often cross the Walt Whitman Bridge going either to the Philadelphia Airport or a Phillies (bring back Rico Brogna!) game. It breaks my heart to see her berthed somewhat undignified as Mother Nature assaults her hull and superstructure.

It is, I suppose, a stark reality that the cost of bringing her up to modern day sailing standards is a virtual impossibility due to cost(s) and other factors. A pity. They just don't build them like that any longer.

I salute all who labor to give her a befitting living memorial. Nothing can ever take away her Blue Riband and my memories of seeing her navigate the Hudson, graceful Lady that she is and always will be.

I never had the pleasure of sailing aboard this magnificent, once in a lifetime vessel. As a younster, I remember well my late father taking me to Manhattan's West Side and watching her arrive or depart on yet another crossing.

 

Living in southern New Jersey, I often cross the Walt Whitman Bridge going either to the Philadelphia Airport or a Phillies (bring back Rico Brogna!) game. It breaks my heart to see her berthed somewhat undignified as Mother Nature assaults her hull and superstructure.

 

It is, I suppose, a stark reality that the cost of bringing her up to modern day sailing standards is a virtual impossibility due to cost(s) and other factors. A pity. They just don't build them like that any longer.

 

I salute all who labor to give her a befitting living memorial. Nothing can ever take away her Blue Riband and my memories of seeing her navigate the Hudson, graceful Lady that she is and always will be.

Her fuel hungry engines made her an expensive, if stylish, beauty, even in the oil rich 1950's; but it was her asbestos filled interiors that prevented her return.

Then, the Asbestos abatement contractors ripped her interiors down to the bare steel when she was towed to Turkey in the Eighties........heartbreaking

Only a museum calliber conservation can bring her back to us now. Let's make that happen:

http://ssunitedstatesconservancy.org/SSUS/blog/

News on S.S. United States

Date: 17/February/2011

http://cruiselinehistory.com/?p=9463

Nice post, StanandJim! :)

As a kid my next door neighbor was one Walter Perkins. At the time (late 70s-80s) he was the chief purser for NCL. He brought the Norway on line. He also was a purser aboard the SS United States. He and his wife Joy planted the seed that endures today in my family's leisure travel.

My first cruise in 1966.

New York to Nassau, but we turned back prior to Nassau due to storm and sailed to Bermuda. Hit some of those record-breaking speeds in order to do this, with considerable rolling and some injuries.

But I loved it! We've returned for more than 50 cruises since.

My 1st job was as a computer operator for US Lines in 1967 ( I was 17 ) we were located at 1 broadway at the southern tip of Manahatten in NYC and we had a perfect view of the cruise ships passing the Statue of Liberty. ( 1st cruise was 1975 but never sailed on the SS United States which was owned by US Lines ), been on more than 50 cruises since.

My father came to the US on a ship called the SS United States in 1913 .Is this the same ship ?

No, the US United States was built in the 1950's

My 1st job was as a computer operator for US Lines in 1967 ( I was 17 ) we were located at 1 broadway at the southern tip of Manahatten in NYC and we had a perfect view of the cruise ships passing the Statue of Liberty. ( 1st cruise was 1975 but never sailed on the SS United States which was owned by US Lines ), been on more than 50 cruises since.

What kind of computers were you using in 1967?

I'd be very interested to hear about the equipment that you used, and what type of tasks you were assigned to for the United States Lines.

My father came to the US on a ship called the SS United States in 1913 .Is this the same ship ?

It's more likely that your father was aboard HAPAG's Amerika which was sailing in 1913. I don't recall any ships being name United States in that time frame. Sometimes stories of immigration were imperfectly remembered or heard by relatives over the years. I know that was the case with my family. Check the Ellis Island Web site to locate your father in their data base. If you find him you can look at the actual ship manifest and get all the details. It may take awhile but it is very satisfying to find the records. In the meantime you can read about Amerika at this site.

What kind of computers were you using in 1967?

I'd be very interested to hear about the equipment that you used, and what type of tasks you were assigned to for the United States Lines.

Mainframe was a IBM 1401 with 4k of memory, almost all processing was done using computer cards, so you also needed to sort them etc etc. Still in the field now will retire in a couple of years.

I know this is an old thread but my father ran the photography studio on the United States from the mid '50's until the ship's last sailing. He always had great stories of all the celebrities and politicians that sailed her. He kept a flat in London so he could save money on hotels while in Europe. He met my mother while in England. My first cruise was as a 6 month old on the Queen Elizabeth but my second cruise, and many subsequent ones, was on the United States. I was a child but to me it was a magical, elegant ship. Every night was elegant night!

Interesting about all the asbestos on board. My father was always fastidious about cleanliness and his appearance. My mother told me after he died that he would smell like chemicals for days after returning home. My father ran the photography studio with two other men. All three of them died of stomach cancer and all of them were in their 50's. I'm pretty sure part of the cancer was caused by the developing chemicals but asbestos may have played a part as well.

It would be a wonderful thing if she were restored.

My 1st job was as a computer operator for US Lines in 1967 ( I was 17 ) we were located at 1 broadway at the southern tip of Manahatten in NYC and we had a perfect view of the cruise ships passing the Statue of Liberty. ( 1st cruise was 1975 but never sailed on the SS United States which was owned by US Lines ), been on more than 50 cruises since.

Wasn't that the address of the old Cunard Line offices? That address is a Citibank branch now. You should see it, it has outside doors labeled "Cabin Class," and "First Class" etc. and in the teller area it has a lot of artwork that may have been original to when Cunard was there, if I am correct that Cunard was actually at that address. Up the block a bit is 9 Broadway where the old White Star Line offices were, right across from Bowling Green, where families gathered to await news of "Titanic" and its survivors. It's a Radio Shack now. Seems rather ignominious.

I never had the pleasure of sailing aboard this magnificent, once in a lifetime vessel. As a younster, I remember well my late father taking me to Manhattan's West Side and watching her arrive or depart on yet another crossing.

 

Living in southern New Jersey, I often cross the Walt Whitman Bridge going either to the Philadelphia Airport or a Phillies (bring back Rico Brogna!) game. It breaks my heart to see her berthed somewhat undignified as Mother Nature assaults her hull and superstructure.

 

It is, I suppose, a stark reality that the cost of bringing her up to modern day sailing standards is a virtual impossibility due to cost(s) and other factors. A pity. They just don't build them like that any longer.

 

I salute all who labor to give her a befitting living memorial. Nothing can ever take away her Blue Riband and my memories of seeing her navigate the Hudson, graceful Lady that she is and always will be.

I was fortunate enough to make a transatlantic crossing on her in 1968 ffrom NYC to Southhampton. She was the fastest ship afloat holdng the crossing record at that time. We hit some rough seas during the 4 days but she handled them well. I still have great memories of the cruise 44 years later. It is a sad ending for a great ship.

I was fortunate enough to make a transatlantic crossing on her in 1968 ffrom NYC to Southhampton. She was the fastest ship afloat holdng the crossing record at that time. We hit some rough seas during the 4 days but she handled them well. I still have great memories of the cruise 44 years later. It is a sad ending for a great ship.

Quick Quibble: Unless you were on the record breaking maiden voyage, I think that you will find that it was a 5 day crossing (well, 4 days, 16 hours or so)

After breaking the records, the United States Lines ran her at the same speed as the Queens, and later the France of 1960.

I suggest you check your facts! You will find that the SS United States made the record crossing eastbound in 3 days 10 hours 40 minutes and beating the Queen by 14 hrs. She also made and held the westbound record in 3 days 12 hrs 12 mind. So a 4day+crossing was being done and WAS AND is the fastest ship EVER in regular passenger service. She still holds the Blue Riband award this one this day..

Never sailed, but have great memories as a kid for a bon voyage party in the 60's in the Hudson.

Have since wanted to lay eyes on her again, but get sad every time I see a picture posted somewhere.

Quick Quibble: Unless you were on the record breaking maiden voyage, I think that you will find that it was a 5 day crossing (well, 4 days, 16 hours or so)

 

 

After breaking the records, the United States Lines ran her at the same speed as the Queens, and later the France of 1960.

Great shot! Another bon voyage party on the France.

Had to pull over when I caught my eyes on her in the 80's all blue.

I suggest you check your facts! You will find that the SS United States made the record crossing eastbound in 3 days 10 hours 40 minutes and beating the Queen by 14 hrs. She also made and held the westbound record in 3 days 12 hrs 12 mind. So a 4day+crossing was being done and WAS AND is the fastest ship EVER in regular passenger service. She still holds the Blue Riband award this one this day..

Yes, I agree that she broke the speed record and that her record crossings were 3 days and some hours in each direction. However, the point of my previous post was that AFTER THE RECORDS HAD BEEN BROKEN, they didn't run the ship at that breakneck speed.

Even in the early 1950's that would have been seen as a waste of fuel, particularly as at that time, the United States was sailing in tandem with the much slower America of 1940.

U.S. Lines ran the United States at the same service speed as the Queens (28.5 knots) which meant that she crossed in approximately Four Days and fourteen hours. The schedule was built around a five day crossing and a two day turnaround for each ship. The United States could keep that schedule easily, but the America struggled so that eventually they stopped trying to pretend that the two ships were a matched pair.

An advertisement of the day makes my point:

JimandStan,

I love that photo of the ships lined up in luxary liner row. My dad used to be the manager of first and cabin class for the Italian Line and I have sailed on both the Michelangelo and Raffaello, both pictured in that photo. I would greatly appreciate a copy of that photo if you would be so kind as to send it to me via email. I also sailed on the former France (also in the picture) after it had become the Norway. It's a great photo!

My email address is ang0462@gmail.com. Hope you won't mind sending me a copy as they all bring back great memories.

Thank you,

ANgelo (NYCruzr)

Quick Quibble: Unless you were on the record breaking maiden voyage, I think that you will find that it was a 5 day crossing (well, 4 days, 16 hours or so)

 

After breaking the records, the United States Lines ran her at the same speed as the Queens, and later the France of 1960.

'tis done

Thanks again very much for the photos!

Those ships hold many great memories and I collect just about any photos I can get, especially more unique ones like the one you sent because both ships were in port together in New York, which was pretty rare!

Happy Sailing!

NYCruzr (Angelo)

Heard about this ship since my youth (probably because it was the last Blue Riband winner?) but never seen it. My wife's parents sailed R/T on it between Newark and Le Havre in 1960. Their first trip home to Europe after immigrating to Canada. Flying for 2 persons + their infant son (wife was not born yet) cost about the same as driving from/to west coast Canada to NJ and taking the ship AND car across and back.

Just a note to let everyone know that a special exhibit about the SS United States has just opened at the Forbes Gallery, 62 Fifth Avenue (corner of Fifth Ave & 12th Street) in New York City. I'm not sure what items are included in the exhibit, but according to the gallery website, "This exhibition celebrates the 60th anniversary of the ship’s record-setting maiden voyage and highlights the current efforts of SS United States Conservancy to repurpose the vessel."

Certainly worth a visit if you care about this unique ship and if you're in the area.

More info at

http://www.forbesgalleries.com/comingsoon.shtml