America’s Flagship, the SS United States will leave its berth in Philadelphia on Wednesday morning on its final journey – to Mobile, Alabama and then off the coast of the Florida panhandle. The SS United States was constructed between 1950 and 1952 in Newport News, VA – and included materials from every state (48 at the time). The ocean liner was designed by William Francis Gibbs who with no formal training in the field, quit his job in real-estate law in 1916 to devote himself to designing the world’s fastest ship. According to the SS United States Conservancy, this was the first ocean liner to be completely constructed in dry dock, built by Americans with American-made materials. On her maiden voyage in 1952, the SS United States broke the eastbound Atlantic Crossing record to England and then broke the westbound Atlantic Crossing back to New York on her return voyage – that record stands today.
The SS United States will be moved from her berth in Philadelphia Wednesday morning in time to float under the Walt Whitman Bridge at low tide, which is at 12:51pm. She will also pass beneath the Commodore Barry and Delaware Memorial Bridges – and traffic over the bridges will be stopped as the SS United States passes below. Over the next two weeks the SS United States will be towed to Mobile, Alabama where she will be cleaned and prepped and then sunk off the Florida panhandle in the area of Destin-Fort Walton Beach to become an artificial reef.
A land-based museum will also be built in Florida near the reef site to house the thousands of artifacts that have been in storage for decades.
The SS United States went out of service in 1969 and after the US Navy decided she was past her prime, in 1978 put the vessel up for sale. She has had a variety of owners since then. The SS United States Conservancy bought the vessel in 2011 but ran into issues when the rent on the berth was doubled – leading to a battle in court. While the Conservancy prevailed, a court-ordered timeline for removal of the historic vessel forced the Conservancy in October of 2024 to sell her to Okaloosa County, Florida.
You can follow the SS United States on her journey to Mobile on the Conservancy’s Facebook page or track her by GPS on the Destin-Fort Walton Beach website
Information courtesy SS United States Conservancy
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Susan Gibbs, President of the SS United States Conservancy and granddaughter of famed naval architect and SS United States‘ designer, William Francis Gibbs, released the following statement as America’s Flagship moves for the first time in 28 years:
“Today, the nation’s sole surviving ocean liner will glide down the Delaware River to begin the next chapter in her uniquely American story. As the fastest ship to ever cross the Atlantic travels for the first time since arriving in Philadelphia in 1996, we are reminded of the postwar high-water mark that the SS United States so gracefully and powerfully embodied when she was launched in 1951.
“After nearly three decades in Philadelphia, the iconic SS United States is now embarking on a two-week tow to Mobile, Alabama, to prepare for her ultimate resting place as the world’s largest artificial reef. Now under the care of new owners, the ship will forever symbolize our nation’s strength, innovation, and resilience. During this period of intense political polarization, America’s Flagship, built through a public-private partnership as a luxury liner and a top-secret, high-speed, troop transport to protect our national interests overseas, illustrates the power and the promise of coalescing around a common cause.
“The SS United States Conservancy looks forward to opening the doors of a future land-based museum that will celebrate and commemorate the ship’s storied history. This new interactive museum and visitors center will boast a dazzling architectural design incorporating the SS United States‘ most iconic elements, including her funnels, radar mast, and propeller. Exhibitions will feature the Conservancy’s extensive collection of original artifacts and artwork, as well as unique immersive experiences that will transport visitors back to the golden age of transatlantic travel.
“We are grateful to the people of Philadelphia for their steadfast support and appreciation of the SS United States over so many years. As home to so many historic national landmarks, Philadelphia has been a fitting port-of-call for almost three decades. We also thank everyone who has supported the SS United States Conservancy during our 14-year stewardship of America’s Flagship, and we wish her “fair winds and following seas” on her historic journey to her new home.”
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Publish date : 2025-02-18 03:18:00
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