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Nautical Notes
Brief commentaries on recent news about ocean liners and cruise ships
Saving the SS United States
She was a ship of state, now “forlorn and largely forgotten.” Yet, she is still in
the forefront of the minds of many former passengers, ocean liner historians, and
others who are hoping to preserve SS United States, the beloved 1950s-
One prominent member of this effort, the SS United States Conservancy, is Susan Gibbs,
granddaughter of the ship’s architect William Francis Gibbs. The CBS report included
two wonderful segments pertaining to the Gibbs family—an interview with Ms. Gibbs
along the ship’s enclosed promenade and a well-
Nautical Notebook strongly supports the return of SS United States to New York City
to serve as a museum of US passenger ship history, complementing the Intrepid Sea,
Air & Space Museum that has been berthed at Pier 86 since 1982. In this capacity,
she could pay tribute to various passenger vessels of US-
Yet, there is the need to act quickly. Even her biggest fans can no longer see through the years of wear on her exteriors. As mentioned in the closing remarks of the CBS Sunday Morning report, “she is our best ship.” SS United States served us well as the pride of her country during her heyday. Now is the time for us to return the favor.