Hancock: Efforts underway to save the SS United States as a museum ship instead of being turned into a reef
OPINION
BY JOE HANCOCK
The iconic ocean liner SS United States, once the pride of American maritime engineering and larger than the famed Titanic, now faces an uncertain future. Evicted from her longstanding berth in Philadelphia after the pier owner attempted to double the rent, the ship was placed into a difficult position. Although the SS United States Conservancy, then-owners of the ship, successfully sued to prevent the rent increase, a court ruling simultaneously mandated that the ship must vacate the pier within 90 days. This forced the Conservancy into a difficult decision: scrap the ship or sell her to Okaloosa County, Florida, where plans were made to sink her as an artificial reef. Currently docked in Alabama, the ship is actively undergoing preparations for sinking, making her time-limited and urgent for preservation efforts.
The SS United States holds a significant place in maritime history. Launched in 1952, she set the transatlantic speed record on her maiden voyage, capturing the prestigious Blue Riband. Built during the Cold War era, the ship also symbolized American strength and innovation, designed for quick conversion into a troop transport vessel if needed. For many, the SS United States represents not just a technical achievement but also a proud chapter of American history. More detailed historical information about the vessel can be found on the SS United States Conservancy’s website: SS United States Conservancy.
The New York Coalition to Save the SS United States, alongside many historians and preservationists, argues strongly against the plan to turn the vessel into a reef. They emphasize the historical and cultural significance of the ship, asserting that sinking it would permanently erase a vital piece of America’s maritime legacy. They highlight that many people today wish they could walk the decks of the Titanic, with replicas even built to fulfill that dream. With the SS United States, the unique opportunity to preserve and experience a historic vessel firsthand still exists, though it is rapidly slipping away. Furthermore, turning the ship into an artificial reef would severely restrict access, making it unreachable for most individuals, particularly those who are elderly or handicapped and cannot dive to visit the underwater site.
Supporters of creating artificial reefs argue that sinking the SS United States would provide ecological benefits, creating habitats for marine life and promoting biodiversity. Additionally, artificial reefs attract divers and anglers, potentially benefiting local tourism in Okaloosa County. Despite these potential short-term benefits, critics point out that reefs eventually decay and deteriorate, resulting in the permanent loss of the vessel as an accessible historical artifact.
The coalition advocates for transforming the SS United States into a museum ship, pointing to successful examples like the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, and the USS Midway in San Diego. These museum ships have proven valuable by educating visitors, stimulating local economies, and preserving historical artifacts in accessible settings. A museum ship, while potentially requiring higher initial investment, provides sustainable long-term economic benefits, job creation, and consistent tourism revenue, far surpassing the short-lived economic gains of an artificial reef.
When the SS United States was towed from Philadelphia to Alabama, she captured the attention and imagination of America, inspiring the largest preservation push in over 40 years. As the ship traveled along the coast of Florida, crowds flocked to beaches to catch a glimpse of the historic liner. In a moving tribute, Royal Caribbean’s cruise ship Utopia of the Seas altered her course to sail closer and honor the SS United States by blowing her horn.
The ship’s temporary presence in Mobile, Alabama, has already significantly boosted local tourism, as visitors from across the country flock to see the vessel—some fearing it may be their last chance, yet many hoping otherwise.
Numerous petitions are being circulated to save the SS United States, with the New York Coalition’s petition alone gathering over 10,500 signatures and rapidly growing. To learn more about ongoing efforts to save the ship, visit the Coalition’s official website: NY Coalition to Save the SS United States.
In a determined effort to save the ship, the New York Coalition has reached out directly to President Trump for assistance. Additionally, they have filed a lawsuit to halt the sinking of the SS United States, citing her status as a protected site listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Those interested in supporting the preservation of the SS United States are encouraged to visit the New York Coalition to Save the SS United States’ petition on Change.org, where thousands have already signed in support: https://www.change.org/p/last-call-save-the-ss-united-states-say-no-to-reefing-brooklyn-or-bust?source_location=search
As the campaign continues, the fate of the SS United States remains uncertain. Advocates believe that public awareness and support can preserve this historic vessel as a testament to America’s maritime achievements, allowing generations to come to experience and appreciate this iconic symbol of American innovation and history.
The opinions expressed by letter or opinion writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AlachuaChronicle.com. Assertions of facts in letters are similarly the responsibility of the author. Letters may be submitted to info@alachuachronicle.com and are published at the discretion of the editor.
Rename her the “SS Unites States Trump America” and SINK THAT BYATCH in the Gulf of MEXICO.
It will be a fitting and symbolic representation of politics today.
“How can I involve politics into this” sounding goofy
TDS is exactly what you seem to embrace and exude: derangement
That’s the Gulf of America actually.
You ever hear the term don’t look a gift horse in the mouth? You should thank God every moment that President Trump and Elon musk are saving America, possible your pee brain is too ignorant to understand this!! Our wonderful president Trump and his help Elon musk took the job for free no paycheck for free do you understand what that means? As Bruce Willis said in die hard stop being part of the freaking problem and become part of the solution otherwise shut up!! I will waste no more breath with ignoramuses as yourself!! Good day
She’s served her time. Scuttle her and put her to rest.
Like many politicians, she’s outlived her usefulness and taxpayers shouldn’t be burdened with neverending costs for upkeep and management.
Ah, input from one of “Those who don’t learn from history”.
Ah, input from another knucklehead who enjoys taxing themselves in perpetuity.
Did you forget that part of history?
This special one of a kind ship must be saved! It was overbuilt to be the FASTEST, SAFEST SHIP THAT CANNOT BE CAUGHT, CANNOT BE BURNED AND CANNOT BE SUNK! There will never be another one like this built. Nothing else today can claim it was 100% bult in the USA from parts from every state! It needs paint but is solid !
You do realize after it starts to rot away in the water we swim in and our seafood comes from that when all the paint dissolves and chemicals go in the water the government is still responsible for possibly one day making sure people don’t dive it if it becomes unsafe or if it has to be removed for any reason there is still a cost. The only way we free the burden of cost is to scrap her not sink her
Submerged vessels truly are very beneficial and they also create a maintenance free Tourist attraction.
We need yet another ship museum?
There is no other anywhere like the SS United States. She was the world’s safest, she was the world’s fastest, she will forever hold her speed records, and she is the largest, most prestigious and last existing American designed, American built, all-weather transAtlantic passenger liner. She also happens to be strikingly beautiful, having a slender, graceful hull capped by airfoil shaped funnels (smoke stacks) which not only proudly proclaim her red white and blue origin and heritage, but also hint at the ready reserves of incredible power that so swiftly and reliably moved her over the ocean. A great British predecessor and subsequently built British non-competitor are preserved and worth a look (in Long Beach and Dubai, respectively,) but (unless all airliners are grounded forever,) there will never be another ship like the SS United States. She deserves not only our respect but if need be, also our collective and comparatively very modest investment, all to assure she is given her right and proper future, gleaming in the sun.
Could not have said it better
She can be rebuilt in time and
Become a great asset to tourism
More so afloat than under the water.
She should be saved not sunk
A future as a home for sea life and reef building creatures is a worthy one and in the long term likely to preserve her sunken remains better than they would be if she was restored as a museum ship which would be at great cost given her current condition.
And I would far prefer to see her scraped outright than be associated with the current felon and insurrectionist in the White House.
There are dozens of less noteworthy ships that can serve as artificial reefs.
She is a fast lady. Stripped of her finery, SS United States might not be a good candidate to become a museum but with the proper work on her, she would make a great hospital ship. She can get to locations fast!
How fitting, to sink the SS United States at this time when the entire nation is sinking by the day as well
No its getting better. People are always overthinking. Trump will make America great again. And I have hope she will be saved
Keep in mind that the ship itself, the SS United States, is a work of art. Although it has been stripped inside, its exterior still presents beautifully and with exterior work, could look like new. It would be advised to keep it afloat and let all persons on land visit rather than just divers. Another less meaningful boat can be easily sunk and reefed. And with such a patriotic package it does in so many ways represent America as power and grace as one. This is a concept we need to always keep in mind, especially now. To destroy it, in my opinion diminishes us regardless of politics. I hope reefing will be reconsidered. This is an opportunity that we can NOT let slip away!
Yes, Two Ladies, Statue of Liberty & SS United States Ship of Peace.
Hi Dave, I liked your comments on the Big U!
Your cousin, Mike
Agreed… but where was this NY coalition when this ship sadly sat rotting away while being stripped of its valuables for 30 yrs in Philadelphia by its previous ownership who in my opinion should’ve been investigated for it’s negligence in caretaking of a historical national landmark.
They never were around, this is a new company
Before the group became a thing the same owner tried to make a deal with the conservancy to bring it up to the gowanus bay terminal for restoration and no rent fees but the conservancy declined to go with the fallen crystal cruises plan hope this helps
Thank You so very much, “NY Coalition to Save The SS United States” for Your Advocacy to Save This Incredible, Beautiful Ship is Greatly Appreciated🌹💖🌹 Thanks for continue to bring Awareness and not give up Hope, The “SS United States” will make an Wonderful Museum🌹💖🌹 I will continue share posts with Hope Save Her Beauty! ⚡️”DONT SINK THE SHIP”⚡️ 😢💔
I visited this ship when it was tied up at the Norfolk Int’l Terminal in Virginia back in the mid 80’s. It then spent a couple of decades in Newport News pier side, then up in Philly. During the last 4 decades, anybody could have stepped up. Now isn’t the time to start some kind ruckus about saving this ship.
It wasn’t about to be sunk then, was it? Now is the last chance to “start some kind ruckus.”
Yes we can save the ship.
AMEN !!!
You can thank the SS United States Conservancy for it’s failure to save the ship. They sat on it for years milking money from doners and did nothing to preserve the ship or secure a safe place for her. They hid it away in the backyard of Philly out of site & out of mind. But “We The People” real Americans have learned of their failure and are in a effort to save her for future generations.
The SS United States Conservancy was doomed to fail by the City of Philadelphia, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and United States Governments. All of them looked the other way as Penn Warehousing, a private, for-profit business collecting rent from within a publicly owned port, took the lions’ share of the millions of dollars donated for the purpose of restoring the “Big U.” The final indignity there was the court which sided with Penn Warehousing, which had indeed violated its contract with the Conservancy when it suddenly and grotesquely raised its docking fees. (Everyone in the world knows it’s nearly impossible to do anything when the collectors put and keep us on the ropes.) I personally think an investigation (with an eye out for kickbacks) is warranted. IN ANY CASE, we should resolve to end to such destructive opportunism everywhere.
It wasn’t the conservancy’s fault they were under the gun and didn’t have time to find a place for her
They had plenty of time but they were to stupid.
Agreed… but where was this NY coalition when this ship sadly sat rotting away while being stripped of its valuables for 30 yrs in Philadelphia by its previous ownership who in my opinion should’ve been investigated for it’s negligence in caretaking of a historical national landmark.
The Conservancy failed, they used all the money that we donated to pay the doc fees, and instead they could have saved the money to move her. There are some docs that she can be at. Thats what the New York people are trying to do is get her to New York because someone has a place for her.
Well said. I looked at that ship for years at NiT every day at work in the 70’s. It has been towed here and there. If the Ship was going to be turned into floating hotel like the Queen Mary in Long Beach? That would be great. But museum ships are very expensive to maintain.
Umm.. now is the time
And let us not forget our Countries Ship of State, Old Iron Sides, the USS Constitution anchored at the United States Navel Yard in Boston. Scores of of visitors learn treasured history visiting the Museum, walking the ships planks, and seeing it shinning on the sea during special occasions. The public came forth to save it a number of times since it’s 1797 launch. Let’s step up and save the USS Constitution.
Don’t forget, the current administration has no room for actual United States history
While we’re saving history, let’s find the CSS Virginia and USS Monitor and convert them to museums.
It’s likely less than 40% of the commenters here even knew of the existence of the SS United States prior to this article.
Ridiculous. Nobody. Nobody wants this decrepit hulk. Nobody has the >$1B needed to restore her to a museum ship that nobody wants.
This is ridiculous and irresponsible journalism. Do better.
Go back to sleep…..
Oh look. Another anonymous troll who hates facts and honest reporting.
Hmmm, 10,500 signatures and growing beg to differ on “nobody” wanting the ship. It had been lost to obscurity and unlike today with explosive social media, it was very difficult to get exposure and promote the ship to millions of people. Television wasn’t free and newspaper articles and magazines stories only reached those who purchased the papers and magazines.
Now with internet and social media hundreds if not, thousands of new people are learning about this great ship! The Coalition will work out paying for the ship and plans to do restoration in stages so the claimed $500 Billion to restore is grossly exaggerated. Maybe to make her an operational ship but that’s not going to happen and the entire ship does NOT need to be restored. Only certain areas of interest and done in stages, donations and grants would very likely be used.
You mean $500 million?
It’s just you that don’t her to be a Museum.
SOS! They are about to sink the S.S United States!
Since she is in the gulf now, they need to rethink it. Put her next to goverment land, convert her into a hotel. And you have landmark! Under 100mil, and she is the newest and largest attraction created in decades. She is in great condition and ready to convert. The 10mil they are using to prepare her for sinking, is the paint job and beginning of the interior conversion. Just an absolute waste to sink her. She deserves to be seen by millions!
SOS!
Share and Pass this on!
Yes, you are correct. Now that the ship is finally getting the attention she deserves, we Americans need to step up and help save this Great American Icon that bears our GREAT COUNTRY NAME.
are you going to foot the bill for that?
If marketed the right way, you could get corporate sponsorship, and volunteer labor. Convert it to a museum/hotel and presell tickets. Where there is a will there is a way.
Since you Demoncrats refuse to give credit to Musk for uncovering the billions of WASTED tax payer dollars, then transfer some of the money to restore the ship.
I call upon the National News Media to bring this to “BREAKING NEWS” President Trump America needs you to step up and SAVE SS UNITED STATES SHIP.
Scuttle her. The cost would not be found to restore her and the massive cost to keep her is not a good option. As a Merchant Marine sailor for over 20 years, we understand that ships going down to the sea is a proper burial. I myself will be laid to rest there. The time has come. Let her go.
Belay the gloom, James. We’ve no right to impede YOUR sinking, but we have every right to reject defeatism.
Sure Donnie, that comes from somebody who likely counted on people like James, as well as millions of military members, to keep them from being defeated.
Sounds like a liberal who wants to save everything as long as they don’t have to pay the price – always easier spending someone else’s money.
The amount of maintenance is too much. James is right, give her a proper burial at sea.
Truer words never spoke
Thank you thank you. Where will she be docked. I hope you can do this. Such a beautiful ship. Again thank you 😊 Blessings 🙌 Millie
It sad, but if adequate funds from any source weren’t identified to restore and save her over the past 50 years, it’s not clear to me where they will come from now. Add to that the challenge of finding permanent, affordable moorage and funds to keep it maintained once it has been restored, and it’s game over.
If every working age adult in this country would contribute fifteen cents she could be totally restored to her former glory and be out there making 30 some odd hour runs between USA and Europe again (profitably, like that QE2 is doing, only FASTER)
LOL! Does that include the panhandlers?
Good luck with that!
If every working adult in the US donated 15¢, that would raise about $30 million.
That likely would not even repair the hull. To make her seaworthy might take nearly a billion dollars.
If we could just find a billion dollars laying around somewhere.
I am not against the idea of saving the ship and I have visited several museum ships. Who is going to pay for it!
everyone who signs that petition should be required to foot the bill for turning her into a museum. every single penny of it.
“but i can’t afford that”
too bad. you wanted it, you can pay for it.
give the old girl the honor of a burial at sea with other greats.
as to everyone trying to involve politics, get a life and stop making your political views your ONLY personality.
Save the Queen Mary and not our flag ship the fastest ocean liner in the world the pride of America built buy Americans somethings wrong with this country wake up AMERICA WERE GONNA LOOSE OUR BIEUTIFUL FLAG SHIP…..
Evidently we’ve lost the proper use of punctuation and grammar.
Why destroy history? Give others the chance to experience it and learn.
I hope she can be saved. In my area, we lost this fight, not for an ocean liner, but for a historically significant Puget sound ferry, the “art deco” MV Kalakala. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Kalakala) There wasn’t mush support to save her, despite the heroic efforts to return her to her home after spending decades beached in Alaska as a fish processing plant. Proudly watched her return to Seattle and gave her a “welcome home” pat as she was tied up. She ended up being scrapped, with a few bits sold on eBay.
Not too much interest in preserving history anymore, sadly.
Sounds too much like Kamala
Save the SS United States. It’s our history ship built-in the United States. If we lose that we’ve done lost everything else about history, that a lot of people that are growing up behind us, the new generation will never know anything about history, so if we lose history. We just might as well just lose our country too.
Save her !!!
We should let President Thump see this. It’s about SS America, it’s about saving part of our American history for all others to see.
I have a comment if they can reinstate and and redo battleships and make them for museum pieces so people can go and visit them like the mighty Mo battleship the Iowa the battleship that stationed in the Arizona memorial and Hawaii why can’t they not restore the US s United States cruise ship everybody would love to see that as a museum piece where instead of turning into a reef for a bunch of damn fish and scuba diving attractions people that cannot scuba dive can enjoy seeing the museum piece restored her glory so many ships have been restored why not restore the US United States that would be a tremendous great to all those people to visit
The ship should be rebuilt, with volunteers to sand and repaint full restoration would cost only a couple thousand dollars . Any costs should be paid by taxpayers. It’s the most historically important ocean liner ever built, the largest fastest and most luxurious
A couple thousand Dollars???
It’s an empty shell. the time to save it was 1970.
Its empty because all asbestos has been removed by a prior owner. It is a blank slate ready to put back together. NO opulent wood interior like the queens, but was mid-century modern style and easy to duplicate and recreate as original or whatever you want. No need to do a mechanical rebuild but only cosmetic. It would make a fantastic museum, Hotel, Offices, Convention center etc.
AMEN !!!
All you need is to have someone donate $500 million or more.
Just sink it already, it is never going to be a museum.
Save her! Admittance I am suspicious of any group with the name ‘NEW YORK’ attached to it.
With that being said, I’ll give the coalition the benefit of the doubt.
But let’s be clear!!It’s the great state of Florida that will save her. The South. The people who love culture. Philly did nada! Blue Helmets will bury her. But Philly is on the ‘rise’…big time.
If she drops to the bottom of the sea?
So be it!
With all the monies to restore her?
Is it a far fetched idea to build another one.
Sink the original?
I’m good no matter what.
Sailed her 3 times as an infant!
Let’s all get along now.
And while we are on the subject?
Put Silent Sam back with a bronze of MLK next to him.
Culture cannot exist without mention of all of it.
This is America.
We love you!
Nobody cared anything about if for 30 years. We sinking it.
You can always count on the left to poop where they eat
Unfortunately the ship was gutted several times over the years. First to pay expenses then to remove toxic materials in an ill planed attempt to return her to service. There’s literally nothing left to preserve but an empty metal husk. The cost of preserving the empty hulk that size doesn’t justify saving it. The only slightly viable use would be to rebuild it for some new use further degrading its historical value. Really in her present condition a dive site is probably the best reuse. If she had intact Interiors a Queen Mary scenario could work but we don’t have that. Even with an intact interior both economic viability and structural preservation has been a challenge for the queen. Saving 900 ft long ships is expensive and very few can be saved. Unfortunately given her condition using those limited resources to try to save the SS United States just can’t be justified.
To all of those who have taken an interest, or at minimum the time, and effort to voice an opinion on the fate of the “S.S. United States”, I thank you for your input.
The story itself is an old one. Old Ship with lots of history to be scraped, can it somehow be saved? We all saw this play before, just with different actors, and Venues. ‘The Queen Mary” was tagged back in the 1970’s to be scraped, and the Aircraft Carrier “Intrepid” in the 1980’s, and more recently the Battleship “New Jersey” in 2001. Those stories had good endings, the ships were saved, and made into museums. Unfortunately the fate of the S.S. United States is just about over, or is IT!!!!
The “Premise” is the same as the other forementioned ships. She is condemned, just as they were. She is to be scraped, and made into license plates.
All these ships have huge maritime history’s, with great stories, and antics of past voyages, from days gone by.
It’s even been said by crew members, and passengers alike, that the Queen Mary has a Spirit Infused in the HuLL, and Frame that transcends a warm and friendly onvionce around them. I bet you could fill libraries with alot of those stories, and antics, but none being anymore exceptional than thee other.
What even could, or would in this case, make one ship stand out, and/or even be called exceptional?
How about “America’s Flagship, the “S.S. UNITED STATES”? It is oozing with National Pride, and exceptionalism! It is the last cruise ship to be built 100% in the U.S. It was partially funded, and designed by the U.S. Government with the intent to combine speed, with luxury, and it did just that. One of it claim to fame is that the S.S.UNITED STATES still holds the fastest time record for crossing the Atlantic in 3days, 10hrs, and 40 minutes. The record that still stands today. There are alot of reasons I love this ship, but none more than it represents the Spirit of Those Who’s Name It Bares S.S. UNITED STATES, yeah we were told by England to give up the Revolution, and go home. Some in our Continental congress wanted to do just that, but that’s when this feeling of freedom and the righteous spirit of “We’re Not Going To Take It Anymore was born. Just like back in 1776, I think we should back AMERICA’S FLAGSHIP, and restore her to her former self. Let’s do what’s right Mr. President, and the US. Congress. Maybe if Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries would stay on the congress floor for 25 hrs but this time have a purpose, and that’s to save our FLAGSHIP, the S.S United States.
Those who have looked over the “Restoration costs” and believe Monetary that sinking the “S.S. United States” and making a reef out of the (HuLL) is a good idea, which is based solely on a what the monetary investment would be, vs sinking her and forming a reef. I hear what you are saying. I do understand the view points of those who look at this ship and see a money pit, but as a
I clearly stated. There are somethings you can’t put a price tag on. Our National FLAGSHIP, the S.S. United States is one of them!!!! “We, the People” the majority of Citizens agree!!!!
The coalition is a big joke. They don’t have a chance in Hell.
Actually they do have a chance, I’ve been following them and there getting close. Now all they need to do is get the money.
Greetings , I was a passenger on The ‘Great’ SS UNITED STATES 🛳️
55 YEARS AGO .. I , my Mother and younger Sister sailed in to South Hampton .. 1st class 👏🏻
Both Mother and Dad were born in Scotland .. it’s an amazing Love story .
All the fondest memories was when my Sister and I sang , Georgie Girl ..
Imagine 8 and 5 years old Sisters singing on the stage during a talent night ..
Yes I agree that ‘she’ should not be ‘sunk’ @ this time of her life 😢
Make a destroyer tender or a supply ship out of it . They filled ships full of soldiers for Iraq
Maybe bank robbery money is hidden in the walls from some Mafia
Sat in Philly for decades and they tried to make it a restaurant, mall, hotel, folks had tons of big ideas. Costs were unbelievably high. They finally pull the plug on it and now you people want to save it, lol. Everything that is old is not historic or worth saving. Take a deep breath, no one will miss it. Sink it
Ever consider that the repair cost estimates might have been hugely inflated by the people making buckets of money keeping her right where she was?
If you sunk her i no longer what to be american citizen ,,and off story.
too little, too late? she is still the fasted Passenger Ship ever, she is the largest and last Ocean Liner built in the USA, she is an American icon – she should never have left Philadelphia!
Where was all
This when she was in PA.
I think they should restore it just like they’re trying to rebuild the Titanic or turning into a massive hotel like they did the queen Mary
Es historia de nuestro gran país un icono de america
It IS the property of Okaloosa county now..
It’s not up for debate, speculation or conjecture. The County bought the ship fair and square and now it WILL be a reef.
I don’t understand how people are clinging to the idea that this is a public decision.
Elon! SOS! You can spare the change.
It sat at pier 82 for 30yrs in Philadelphia for 30yrs unused but now they want to sink it to provide new sea life people want to save it sink it and be done with it
Don’t you know it seems to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. Please save our one-time flagship.
Hello, Ron Todd Here. I’m a founding Board Member of The Aircraft Carrier Hornet Museum in Alameda California. I also helped to save The Queen Mary from going to Korea in the ’80’s. One of anything does not make enough Draw for a lot of people. However, several similar items…Now THAT’S a Nice Museum. May I suggestion that The Beatiful United States be tied-up near The Queen Mary. What a Hell of a Museum THAT would make. The City of Long Beach, California just finished a 10 Million dollar renovation of The Queen Mary and She looks GREAT. ! It’s just a suggestion. Let’s Chat. Best. Regards. Ron
Please Save the SS UNITED STATES. It is an absolute ICON.
Once destroyed, your country will never get the chance again.
As a Museum, the whole world will have the chance to visit it, but few will have this opportunity if you sink her.
Best wishes from Ross Jowitt in New Zealand 🇳🇿
What a shame. A wonderful old & famous ship and all these thoughtless and unimaginative knitwits can think to do with it is to litter the sea floor. Out of sight, out of mind. Where are all the billionaires when you need them? Spending all there chump change on politics!
Oh, you can try to make it sound like your doing the environment a favor by calling it an “artificial reef” but that is just a cover story for continued polluting of our oceans.
Why not park it in a port and turn it into a floating hotel and entertainment venue with casinos, restaurants and nautical nightclubs. You might even include a museum with it’s own history.
You could drydock it to maintain the hull every few years by draining the sea water out but otherwise fill the drydock basin to give the impression it still floats.
If not an entertainment destination then do the responsible thing and recycle the components just as has been done with multitudes of ships over the years.
See the following website for a listing of decommissioned and mostly scrapped aircraft carriers.
https://news.usni.org/2014/08/18/sunk-sold-scraped-saved-fate-americas-aircraft-carriers
Can it really be that steel companies would rather get all there steel from having to strip mine, then process all that raw ore into new steel while letting perfectly good steel rust on the bottom of the ocean?
This ship will be stripped of toxins before it is sunk. Yet you claim this steel reef will pollute the ocean.
OK. Then can I assume that your other main concern is preventing all wars? The USS Arizona is still leaking oil. Remember when that sank?
News flash: Word War Three will sink hundreds of ships not stripped of toxins, but full of fuel, nuclear reactors, nuclear and conventional bombs, and the remains of a few hundred thousand sailors. Oh the pollution of the oceans! If one cleaned ship sinking is horrendous, then future wars are all unthinkable and must be banned.
This ship has been sitting for over 30 years gathering rust. Many other people have tried the museum approach but the 500 million dollars make it not economically feasible. How many people would visit a year ? Enough to support a staff of 100 employees or more at $20 and hour ? Maintenance of a ship this size @ 5% a year ( $25 million ) security costs ? Ticket sales alone could not even service the intrest on the debt.
You are 100% correct sir!
Sink it, the reef will always be there. A museum will require continually up keep and interest will wain.
Great article and you’ve nailed it! No one in the morally chosen mind supports Okaloosa in what they want to do.
That’s great, hope they can do it.👍
Save her. It’s a piece of our history.
Joey Bishop, an original member of Frank Sumatra’s Rat Pack, was once quoted as stating that a boat was a hole in the water into which money is poured. Might want to check the books on how the Queen Mary has fared financially all these years to see how feasible this proposal might be.
America was rolling in dough when the Queen was opened as a hotel.
These days America is rolling in something else.
I sailed to France on the SS United States in 1955. Unbelievably beautiful! Three days from NY City to Le Havre France.
Museum
How do we get our voices heard??
I hope they save the ship .they did a good job on the Queen Mary & and the aircraft carrier in NY . They did a great job . Please save it .I used to look at it crossing the Walt Whitman .
The ship is to far gone to save for museum ship, it’s to bad they gutted the ship leaving a hell of a mess all that’s left is a empty shell of a ship
she waited all these years to be saved, someone please do the right thing and save her, whom ever
I’m guessing the group is unwilling to purchase the vessel from its current owners.
I first mentioned about the ship when the decision to shipped to Florida I said it’s a shame that a boat that size and the historical value was to going to be sunk off the the coast of Florida the United States spends more tax payers money on other things on so much waste rather to restore the ship. Could be very useful for the homeless. I sign the petition to save and from what I learned over 10,000 also signed.
On Tue, Apr 8, 2025 at 4:40 PM willgravesjr@aol.com wrote:
Will Graves Published in 24 publications including The Wall Street Journal, Chief Executive, The Washington Times,
3048D George Mason Ave. The Palm Beach Daily News, The Naples Daily News, The Orlando Sentinel, The Florida Sun,
Winter Park, Florida 32792 The Orlando Times, The Greenwich Sentinel, and The East Hampton Star.
Day/Evening Phone:
407-673-7883 or 407-719-2456 Coined the term, “National Community Activist” in Chief Executive. Interviewed on NPR by Jane Goodall’s
(For medical reasons,) co-author, Thane Maynard.
Recipient of the Florida Trust’s 2019 Individual Distinguished Service Award. A six-person statewide jury
made the award decision.
SS United States: Let’s Not Put A Limit On What Might Be Possible Here.
The Editor:
Since February, 2024, when I first fired off a missive to Susan Gibbs, President of The SS United States Conservancy, followed later by missives to Judge Brody,
and the Heads of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and The National Register of Historic Places, I’ve been stunned by the lack of transparency.
For the record, I’ve never received a response from any of the above-named individuals. Instead, press releases reinforce the narrative that the only possible
course of action is to sink, “America’s Ship!”
That’s not what Team 488 knows to be true. That’s not what GE Marine knows to be true. That’s not what Admirals know to be true. The Biden administration
had a crack at saving the SS United States. Now, President Trump deserves the same consideration.
Few are aware that the SS United States has a “100-Year Hull” which could travel the seven seas as a floating Laboratory/Museum of sorts for decades more.
And it’s technically possible to refit the SS United States with Fuel Cell propulsion that would enable the SS United States to beat the record Atlantic crossing time
achieved by the SS United States in its triumphant Blue Riband victory in 1952! No one has ever approached, let alone beaten, that 1952 record. And, William Francis Gibbs,
who designed the SS United States as well as most of the ships that won World War II, deserves to be remembered rather than sunk! He and his ship were inseparable.
A Congressional Act says the SS United States cannot be sunk. Do I need to repeat that? The National Register of Historic Places says the SS United States
can’t be sunk. Time to lobby the Trump administration to step in with an Executive order to save “America’s Ship!” There isn’t time for anything else.
Will Graves
National Community Activist
Founder, Friends of Windermere
Founder, Friends of Winter Park
Founder, Friends of Cypress Gardens
Founder, Friends of Florida’s Coasts
If it can support itself w/o taxpayer $ why not keep it. If not – the reef is a good option – wish in the current times there woudl be this much concern about saving people vs things
Any state can purchase this hulk, the fastest, record breaking Trans Atlantic cruise ship, to restore as a Capital Project under their transportation department and ‘incorperate’ it as their state’s flagship. It is afterall, our nations Merchant Marine Flagship. It whipped the Queens rear for the record @ 42 knots on 3 of it’s 4 boilers. It could easily be funded by them through the ‘licensing’ schemes for commerce they direct at the people and not directed at just commerce as intended. Washington State is sitting on $17.3+Billion in an account that is an overpayment. Those $$$ need to be refunded to the people that should have never been paying that commercial tax, but will be re/mis appropriated anyways sooo….. why not invest here..? Thousands of jobs to refit, thousands of jobs to operate when finished for 30 yrs., hundreds of thousands if not more people who will buy a ticket to go 50mph across the ocean in a 990ft stiletto knife in 3 and a half days.. idk.. who am I to say? But I am sayin’…