Sad day in my hometown

[Chuck24]

It was announced that the S.S. United States, the pride of the workers at Newport News Shipbuilding, will be sunk off the coast of Florida. Known as the finest ocean liner of the 59s and early 60s, the efforts to restore the ship back to sailing, or seaside docking as a hotel or casino have failed. The money required just became insurmountable as well as finding a place to put it. My mom and dad both worked on it and I have been on it several times when it came it for refits. One of its props greet visitors to the Mariners Museum. It will leave Philadelphia and return to Norfolk for remediation before being towed to its final resting place.

 

[31FordA]

It’s a sad end to a great ship. I’ve been down to look at her in Philly a number of times, even in her dismal condition she is an impressive sight. I wish I could’ve seen her in her prime. She’s been berthed in Philly for a long time now, it’ll be strange not seeing her when I drive by.

Sinking her as a reef is probably better than sending her to the ship breakers in Turkey. There’s at least some dignity being scuttled. I never held out much hope for her being saved, previous owners had gutted her, and with decades of neglected maintenance any potential use was just incredibly expensive.

Living near Philly is an impressive and depressing oppurtunity to watch magnificent ships waste away. The ghost fleet in the back channel of the Navy Yard contained lots of once great ships. The Oriskany spent several decades there before going off to be sunk as a reef a few years ago. Not too much left there now, mostly Ticonderoga class cruisers, a few Perry class frigates, and some fleet auxiliaries. The Kennedy is berthed out on the Delaware River, awaiting her trip to the breakers. I spent most of a day wandering around looking at them a few months ago while the New Jersey was in dry dock for painting.

 

[Rudi]

I remember reading about this ship as a kid. A sad ending.

 

[swsig]

It's sad, indeed. What a beautiful ship. The United States set a speed record for the Atlantic crossing on her maiden voyage, averaging 35 knots. It was apparently capable of going faster, with 38 knots achieved on its trials, and estimates of up to 43 knots based on its potential at full power. That's pretty impressive for a 990 feet-long 53,000 ton ship.

Here's my favorite photo of the newly built United States, which shows its speed and power. Note the paint that's been worn off the hull just behind the bow caused by the friction from its continuous high speed.

 

[Onomea]

For a very long time, I thought my family had sailed to Germany on the SS United States in 1958. Then about ten years ago I learned from my older brother that while we were initially booked on the SS United States, we switched to her sister ship, the SS America and crossed on that.

There is an excellent book on the building of the SS United States:



This short article, by the author, conveys some of the details: Naval architect William Francis Gibbs, designer of the SS United States | Harvard Magazine

 

[JET4]

It was docked at the Norfolk International Terminals from 1970-1989. My father-in-law worked at the Terminals and he took me down there to see it. We could not go on it but were able to walk down the dock beside it.

 

[Rule3]

Just found this website. Lots of information and short video.


SS United States Conservancy

 

[fiasconva]

Such a sad ending for a piece of history. I drive by that prop displayed at the Mariner's Museum at least twice a week. But it just became way too expensive to store it anywhere any more. At least it will become an attraction for divers and fishermen in its next life.

 

[Chuck24]

Such a sad ending for a piece of history. I drive by that prop displayed at the Mariner's Museum at least twice a week. But it just became way too expensive to store it anywhere any more. At least it will become an attraction for divers and fishermen in its next life.

It has always surprised me that with all the famous ships built at Newport News, there are none on display in the city with the exception of the Dorothy, which is a tugboat and hull #1 for Newport News. The Wisconsin is in Norfolk, but that wasn’t built here. Admittedly, the waterfront is very crowded with both commercial and residents activities. Possibly could put something close to the old James River bridge which is now a fishing pier

 

[Realrez]

I wonder what the cost is to get her ready then tow her out to sea.

 

[Kevin G]

Within the Maritime industry, she was referred to as”The Big U”. Truly, an amazing vessel, will never see anything like her again. Her design and construction cost were very heavily subsidized by the government.
At the Maritime Academy, I attended there was actually a club devoted to her. Was able to go down a few times for tours.
Over the years I sailed with a folks who worked on her, the stories were just outrageous. Gambling was huge among the crew. One engineer claimed he won enough in one trip to buy a brand new Ford Crown Vic.
Guys would sign on just to play cards,they would pay others to stand their duties while they participated in the nonstop card games.
Kevin G


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dockmurgw]

I wonder what the cost is to get her ready then tow her out to sea.

Nothing...if they give the locals enough time, there will be nothing left to tow. Like Johny Cash, they got it one piece at a time.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crim...-provide-photos/ar-AA1sg1IB?ocid=BingNewsSerp

 

[fiasconva]

Chuck24, there is the War Memorial Museum really close to the James River Bridge and that space which is now a marina for launching private boats could very easily be made into a museum for some of those ships. It would be an expensive project but I think it would be a great tourist attraction.

 

[tlawler]

A sad end to a great ship…but I agree with 31FordA, I’d rather see her scuttled as a reef and dive destination than scrapped by foreigners. I’ll look forward to diving on her when she’s in her final resting place off of Ft. Walton Beach. Her close proximity to the USS Oriskany off Pensacola should make a nice two-day dive vacation.

 

[stu1ritter]

I used to see her docked in NYC when I was a kid driving down the West Side Highway with my father. It was always an impressive sight amongst many other impressive ships. She just stood out!

Stu

 

[Chuck24]

Chuck24, there is the War Memorial Museum really close to the James River Bridge and that space which is now a marina for launching private boats could very easily be made into a museum for some of those ships. It would be an expensive project but I think it would be a great tourist attraction.

Volunteered there in high school, those tanks and guns that are in front of the building used to be out in the median on Warwick Blvd

 

[SMSgt]

The ship will draw more visitors on the ocean bottom than it ever would tied up to a dock.

 

[soFlaNative]

Her close proximity to the USS Oriskany off Pensacola should make a nice two-day dive vacation.

How deep are we talking about?

 

[tlawler]

How deep are we talking about?

I couldn’t find anything on the depth they are going to put it at, but if it’s like the Spiegal Grove, it’ll be in fairly easy rec dive range, which I believe is 75 to the top deck and 130 to the keel. If it’s like the Oriskany, that’s more of a tech dive at 145 to the flight deck and 210 to the keel.

 

[Autonomous]

An incredible icon. Unmatched by anything in her class since.
It would take billions of dollars and a decade(s?) to restore her. No one has the tooling for her propulsion system. No available workers to run and maintain it either.
The dock space is too valuable for a relic that is doomed to continue rotting.
Better as a reef than the ignominy of being torn down on a polluted beach in the Indian Ocean.