My father was on the 3rd sailing of the SSUnited States. He was 18 in 1952 and sailed in a first-class cabin. He still talks about it as if it were yesterday. A veteran of over 50 cruises thought out his life. This was the finest.
The SS United States has spent most of its existence doing nothing but rusting away. It’s a long, complicated story of ownerships and failed plans. The ship had been out of service for 34 years and was already stripped of her fittings before being floated to Philadelphia in ’96. Today the ship is 72 years old and has been out of service for 55.
Her former running mate SS America had a long career spanning nearly 40 years. She spent several years in Greece before finally meeting her end off the Canary Islands.
From my understanding, she was stripped to remove the Asbestos. Even then, someone recently got onboard and STOLE items from the ship! BEWARE of anything you may buy from eBay or 3rd party site! It MIGHT be one of those items that were STOLEN from "Big U" ! 😢
What America allowed to happen to this marvel of American engineering and knowhow is disgusting. Nowadays she seems almost a metaphor for the state of our country whose name she bears. Broken, decaying, and teetering on the edge of oblivion.
Why didn't you personally save the ship? If all the people complaining actually used actions instead of tears and did the work to raise money, do restoration work, community engagement etc, this wouldn't be happening. It's a ship that's outlived it's usefulness. Don't blame "America" or anything else but the people who supposedly care yet did nothing for literal decades. Yall had a chance and did nothing with it.
@@kennethloki7011it's painful, and there are plenty of very wealthy people out there who have far more significant disposable cash than the average Joe/Joess, but at the end of the day, you're right.
I still can't understand why there hasn't been a nationally promoted campaign to restore this ship. The Battleship Texas just went through a $75 million restoration and it is in really good shape now. Britain has the Queen Mary and we have the United States. A GoFundMe on a national level could easily raise that amount through proper promotion. American citizens could donate as little as $1 to contribute. As it has been said before by another commenter "it serves as a metaphor for the state of this country" They are absolutely correct. If this ship is sunk, I may seriously consider moving to another country.
You'll leave the country... over a ship getting reefed? Get a fucking grip. Texas is the only surviving American warship from WWI and shelled the beaches of Normandy. That to me, makes her worthy of preservation. SSUS was outdated as soon as she launched and held a record that matters to no one except ship enthusiasts. Her interiors were gutted long ago and a complete restoration isn’t worth the time or money. She doesn’t have anything of value to offer to the general public, and it’s past time we all accepted her fate.
@@teddyobrien4801 This may a new concept to you, but a country's history or people's history is important because it shows them where they've come from and what they've come to. Whether or not anyone recognizes it, nobody would like to live in a world where everything "old" is throw away because it is no longer useful in a utilitarian sense. Do you know how many beautiful pieces of architecture would be demolished because of that thinking? Furthermore, the SS United States represents the social and commercial development of the U.S. post-WW2. So contrary to your assumption, it IS an important era to preserve artifacts from.
The lowest estimate to return the SSUS to a plain vanilla passenger liner exceeds one billion dollars. That's $925,000,000 (Nine Hundred Twenty Five Million) MORE than was spent on the Texas. One dollar from every man, woman, and child in the US is barely one third of the LOWEST estimate. Ever known any project to come in at the lowest estimate?
We in the UK were lucky with our ocean liners, the Queen Elizabeth II was converted into a hotel in Dubai in 2018 and the Queen Mary has been in California for 60 years. Such a shame that the SS United States has been left like this.
Queen Mary is similar shape, she’s next honestly. Apparently it’s failed to ever make any money and it still “floats” with cash infusions from various sources
@@Oldschoolrules123 The Cutty Sark in London, Great Britain in Bristol and the Star of India has Wrought Iron hulls and are still hanging around to this day,
Not our flagship . It’s a marketing phrase and nothing more. Admirals and corporations may have flagships, not nations. Even the name is a hook for the simpleminded. If she were named the east new york or pick your favorite bad neighborhood,no one would care.
Saw her in 1972 when we left Baltimore for Bermuda on a Norwegian Cruise. The S S United States was glorious and a thing of beauty. It is sad to see her now but all things must end. Fair well lovely lady.
@@Oldschoolrules123 You’re the same idiot that probably goes to Eastern State Penitentiary but doesn’t wanna preserve real history. Fuck Donald Trump btw…
The S.S. United States did not cross the Atlantic in two days. She does hold the record for an Atlantic crossing by ship of just over four days. A piece that extended above the front funnel had to be removed to make room for her to pass under the bridge. Drove videos or her today show something resting on the fin, towards the right, on the front funnel. My guess is that it is the part that had to be removed. Those same views show where the piece was attached near the front of the funnel top.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that doesn't miss these false or maybe lazy journalist facts!!! Jeez if she could have done two days in that comfort I've no doubt there would be a demand for that travel. Not a ship buff as such but I do love the nostalgic of a vehicle that can carry multiple generations. Been to America from here in Ireland and stopped by on two seperate road trips in Philly to see her 2013 and 2020 such an impressive sight pulling up near Best Buy. Doubt she can be saved now? But the reef idea is possibily the best outcome and will preserve her for a couple of generations.
@@metheult My last view of her was as we left the pier in New York and dove away to start life in the U.S. in May of 1958. The Conservancy has requested a delay in moving he until after the hurricane season. I kind of like the idea of making the move when there might be that risk. If one happens and she doesn't survive, at least she will go down at sea. If she does survive, maybe the people who have the finances to give her renewed life will realize that is what she deserves and make it happen.
I was a cadet from the USMMA and sailed on the vessel for 3 voyages NY/ Dover and Bremahaven in 1961! It was a memorable experience and one I will cherish forever! Michael Marco USMMA 1963
Sometimes you need to let go. THis ship has no interior anymore. They ripped it all out when it was in Turkey to remove asbestos. It would cost over a 100 million or more to refurbish... No one seems willing to lay that amount of money on the table...But if you have it then go for it...
It's amazing how people can ignore historical artifacts up until it's not feasible to restore & preserve them. Same thing happened with Bannerman's Castle in New York. It sat abandoned, suffered through decades of damage and sections collapsing. All of a sudden some group starts saying "we nwwd to preserve it. The structure is little more than a couple crumbling walls now, the interior is LONG gone (there isn't even an "inside" now). You wanted it saved, should have thought of that when it was still salvageable.
@@SenileOtaku WE can't save everything and everything we try and save will be lost in another time as future generations will not see the relevance of it for whatever reason..
@@ModMokkaMatti It's to honor George Washington for the vision of the country he charted (which many others of his era praised), and it's an architectural embodiment of it.
I feel bad for this ship, it's so historically and ppl are trying to save it but it's future looks grim. They want to sink it. This ship deserves better and at this point it's a Philadelphia landmark.
Some how , some way, this ship must be saved, just imagine this blank canvas in the right hands would be like with a complete refit, absolutely beautiful ❤️
She was built in my home town and my Grandfather helped build her. It's sad to see that she will ether go to the scrapping yard or sunk. She should be restored to a point to become a museum ship or restored to her glory for local cruises for that nostalgic experience of how things used to be.
Would it make too much sense to hold traffic on the bridge, while a ship this size with such tight cleareance goes under? This is why things happen. I sudden tide shift, and the ship would hit the bridge. The typical "I'll be alright!"
Why would you hold your breath? I wouldve taken a deep breath that way if it doesnt fit and the bridge collapses, i can hold my breath for slightly longer under the water until i can swim up to the surface
Beautiful ship a shame what is going to happen to it. It is flat out an embarrassment!!!! It should be federally owned ,restored, and be a federal monument
It was 1962 ,I was 7 years old. We were coming home on the SS UNITED STATES. We loved her.. I hope someone or Corporation comes forward to save her. I'm not a fan of the offshore reef idea in Florida, but it's better than scraping her. It would be nice if our Government would step up with some $$
12/09/24 reports are the departure is bring held up for several reasons, including whether the ship can pass under the Delaware bridges. Obviously, it can pass under the WW bridge. I would imagine the stacks can be shorn a couple of feet if necessary for the Commode Barry and the Delaware Memorial bridges.
"Pride Of The Country", Huh?... Isn't this the one they are going to Drag out to Sea and SINK to make Habitat for The Fish and Octopuses?... Haha!... Marvelous!....
So right. With Americans bleating about how it should be restored etc etc and not one of them would ever have opened their chequebook to contribute to funding a restoration in the past or now and won't be ever.
@@Salutimondo I have seen arguments that because it's name is United States, the government should pay for the restoration. That is idiotic. It's estimated to be close to a billion dollars to refurb it.
@@Salutimondo What exactly has that so-called conservancy ever done except beg for more and more money? Couldn't even put a cheap coat of paint on her in all this time.
SS United States - literally represents the country. Once a magnificent one, now remains as a shell. Still looking impressive from outside but completely gutted inside by the money leaches, and now ready to sink. - Exactly same as the United States of America.
The U S government picked up 2/3 of the cost of building the ship provided it could be transformed into a troop ship in 72 hours. A lot of aluminum was used which made it much lighter than other liners. And the only wood allowed in the ship was the grand piano and the butchers blocks. William Francis Gibbs, the architect, had a phobia about fire.
This is not the first time she went under the Walt Whitman, and we had a similar issue when the QE2 visited. Drama clickbait. Sad to see her go, especially sibce contributing numerous times to her conservancy foundation. Knowing the legacy of decades of plan after plan failing to come to fruition, it's time.
Queen Mary of England was converted into a museum by Long Beach in 1967. And our own ship the SS United States will be sunk and turned into a "coral reef" for maritime exploration.
It really breaks my heart that she is going to be sunk. She should be a national landmark, not a hunk of scrap metal to be forgotten. It makes me sick to my stomach.
In 50 years or so we will again have the problem with all the battleship museum ships needing work. Is anybody aware of what happened to the destroyer The Sullivan Brothers? That was a shame. Sank at it's mooring.
Obviously if it made it there why would it not make it out. At least it is getting put to good use finally. I don't get it why they don't do it with all scrap ships.
What has been allowed to happen to this ship is a disgrace, especially considering all the ships in an entire class of military ships are afforded museum status.
They could redo the interior spaces with airplane material. light and fancy. Do the engines, new turbo monsters. That hull is the speedster, dump the weight, make the old girl dance. Then, a new record, bingo!
I am astounded that with that little clearance between the ship and the bridge, they still allowed traffic to cross on it? Not very smart. Sad to see this magnificent ship die like this.
Meanwhile the cruiser Olympia sits at Penns Landing badly needing a dry docking and heavy repairs. You have to pick your fights. So far all I ever heard were words for preserving the United States. Talk is cheap. If you have an extra hundred million laying around then step up tp the plate..
The whole idea of why they purchased this ship from Turkey was because they wanted to turn it into a floating casino. Back then the laws were different. No one wanted a casino. So the idea was to get around those laws because floating a way from land the laws were different. They would get around those rules. But then every politician saw how much money Atlantic city was making and allowed casino construction everywhere. So the whole concept was no longer feasible..
Too bad it's about to be sunk. I wanted to see it up close, but never got the chance. And I'm no diver, so I'm not gonna be going down to where the ship will be resting.
The closest anyone has been allowed for 30 years, other than actual port workers, was about 100 yards. I used to load off the neighboring docks in the late 1990s, and they had it fenced off and locked down tight.
It's heartbreaking for every lover of ships, but we have to "man-up". The United States was built for commercial reasons and subsidised for militaristic ones. Her heyday was in the fifties but her appeal as a mode of travelling between continents and usefulness as a troopship was eclipsed by the airliner. It costs a fortune to preserve a large railway / railroad locomotive and that's nothing compared to an ocean liner. Without the likes of some tech billionaires stepping in, she was never likely to be saved.
@@Oldschoolrules123 Yes, I would also rather keep my money. Except everyone is paying out their ears for the vast funds sent to Ukraine and everywhere else. I would totally have preferred that same amount of money going towards the SSUS in every way. Saving and preserving our history should be top priority and sadly it is not. Old school rules over new school!
They didn’t shut down the bridge back then for the USS New Jersey they shut the whole bridge down. I guess we’re soft this generation they probably looked at it like yeah it’s all right back then😂
My father was on the 3rd sailing of the SSUnited States. He was 18 in 1952 and sailed in a first-class cabin. He still talks about it as if it were yesterday. A veteran of over 50 cruises thought out his life. This was the finest.
50 cruises - $50.00 bill Kleck? 50 years off the gold standard?
He's 90 and still with you, that's great!
The SS United States has spent most of its existence doing nothing but rusting away. It’s a long, complicated story of ownerships and failed plans. The ship had been out of service for 34 years and was already stripped of her fittings before being floated to Philadelphia in ’96. Today the ship is 72 years old and has been out of service for 55.
Her former running mate SS America had a long career spanning nearly 40 years. She spent several years in Greece before finally meeting her end off the Canary Islands.
From my understanding, she was stripped to remove the Asbestos.
Even then, someone recently got onboard and STOLE items from the ship!
BEWARE of anything you may buy from eBay or 3rd party site! It MIGHT be one of those items that were STOLEN from "Big U" ! 😢
The ship ended commercial sailing operations sadly in 1969,so was out of service for 27 years in 1996.
“Everyone held their breath” as the ship went under the bridge… Except the truckers driving directly over the ship on the bridge 😂
What a shame that no one can find a purpose for the most beautiful ship ever made.
True
Gonna make a great dive site!
@@adammcdonald798 yes, its true
that title would belong to the SS Normandie good sir
We have to spend too much money on illegal immigration and wasting billions in Ukraine to worry about preserving iconic American history.
What America allowed to happen to this marvel of American engineering and knowhow is disgusting. Nowadays she seems almost a metaphor for the state of our country whose name she bears. Broken, decaying, and teetering on the edge of oblivion.
Why didn't you personally save the ship? If all the people complaining actually used actions instead of tears and did the work to raise money, do restoration work, community engagement etc, this wouldn't be happening. It's a ship that's outlived it's usefulness. Don't blame "America" or anything else but the people who supposedly care yet did nothing for literal decades. Yall had a chance and did nothing with it.
I agree about the ship but about my country ur dead wrong unless an idiot named trump wins.
Sad as it is to say, our country now, values the color green, much more than red, white and blue. I know, it’s sad, but true (rhyme unintentional).
@@kennethloki7011it's painful, and there are plenty of very wealthy people out there who have far more significant disposable cash than the average Joe/Joess, but at the end of the day, you're right.
@@arbytv5139probably would have been better if she'd been scrapped at the end of her service career.
I still can't understand why there hasn't been a nationally promoted campaign to restore this ship. The Battleship Texas just went through a $75 million restoration and it is in really good shape now. Britain has the Queen Mary and we have the United States. A GoFundMe on a national level could easily raise that amount through proper promotion. American citizens could donate as little as $1 to contribute. As it has been said before by another commenter "it serves as a metaphor for the state of this country" They are absolutely correct. If this ship is sunk, I may seriously consider moving to another country.
It's not a battleship.
You'll leave the country... over a ship getting reefed?
Get a fucking grip.
Texas is the only surviving American warship from WWI and shelled the beaches of Normandy. That to me, makes her worthy of preservation. SSUS was outdated as soon as she launched and held a record that matters to no one except ship enthusiasts. Her interiors were gutted long ago and a complete restoration isn’t worth the time or money. She doesn’t have anything of value to offer to the general public, and it’s past time we all accepted her fate.
Britain does not have The Queen Mary Long Beach, California has The Queen Mary.
@@teddyobrien4801 This may a new concept to you, but a country's history or people's history is important because it shows them where they've come from and what they've come to. Whether or not anyone recognizes it, nobody would like to live in a world where everything "old" is throw away because it is no longer useful in a utilitarian sense. Do you know how many beautiful pieces of architecture would be demolished because of that thinking? Furthermore, the SS United States represents the social and commercial development of the U.S. post-WW2. So contrary to your assumption, it IS an important era to preserve artifacts from.
The lowest estimate to return the SSUS to a plain vanilla passenger liner exceeds one billion dollars.
That's $925,000,000 (Nine Hundred Twenty Five Million) MORE than was spent on the Texas.
One dollar from every man, woman, and child in the US is barely one third of the LOWEST estimate.
Ever known any project to come in at the lowest estimate?
We in the UK were lucky with our ocean liners, the Queen Elizabeth II was converted into a hotel in Dubai in 2018 and the Queen Mary has been in California for 60 years. Such a shame that the SS United States has been left like this.
Titanic? Olympic? Britannic?
@@owensomers8572Don't bring those doomed Olympic class liners for a Cunard topic.
@@ErenYeager-zf3td The SS United States was owned by United States Lines.
Queen Mary is similar shape, she’s next honestly. Apparently it’s failed to ever make any money and it still “floats” with cash infusions from various sources
Queen Mary has only been in Long Beach since 1968... and isn't in good shape either.
I was on that beautiful ship in the 50s I loved every minute of it.😢
you are so lucky 😟
It is such a shame what’s happened with this jewel, cannot believe the flagship bearing our country’s name is homeless and left to rot 😢
Like the country bearing its name...😢 Its a grave omen if this ship is abandoned. We got more respect for the British Queen Mary.
Almost everything rots with time. It's only a ship. I'd be more worried about how AMERICA is rotting away.
@@Oldschoolrules123 The Cutty Sark in London, Great Britain in Bristol and the Star of India has Wrought Iron hulls and are still hanging around to this day,
@@nar2cc imagine that
Not our flagship . It’s a marketing phrase and nothing more. Admirals and corporations may have flagships, not nations. Even the name is a hook for the simpleminded. If she were named the east new york or pick your favorite bad neighborhood,no one would care.
Saw her in 1972 when we left Baltimore for Bermuda on a Norwegian Cruise. The S S United States was glorious and a thing of beauty. It is sad to see her now but all things must end. Fair well lovely lady.
Please save this ship!!!
Your money,no problem.... My money, no thanks.
I donated😁
@@Oldschoolrules123 You’re the same idiot that probably goes to Eastern State Penitentiary but doesn’t wanna preserve real history. Fuck Donald Trump btw…
She may have had a chance if they didn’t strip her down to a shell. It is a shame. She was definitely a the fastest greyhound of them all.
@@KevinWalsh-r7q She still has a chance, as long as her hull lives. But until then, she's a sitting duck in her home territory.
The S.S. United States did not cross the Atlantic in two days. She does hold the record for an Atlantic crossing by ship of just over four days. A piece that extended above the front funnel had to be removed to make room for her to pass under the bridge. Drove videos or her today show something resting on the fin, towards the right, on the front funnel. My guess is that it is the part that had to be removed. Those same views show where the piece was attached near the front of the funnel top.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that doesn't miss these false or maybe lazy journalist facts!!! Jeez if she could have done two days in that comfort I've no doubt there would be a demand for that travel. Not a ship buff as such but I do love the nostalgic of a vehicle that can carry multiple generations. Been to America from here in Ireland and stopped by on two seperate road trips in Philly to see her 2013 and 2020 such an impressive sight pulling up near Best Buy. Doubt she can be saved now? But the reef idea is possibily the best outcome and will preserve her for a couple of generations.
@@metheult My last view of her was as we left the pier in New York and dove away to start life in the U.S. in May of 1958. The Conservancy has requested a delay in moving he until after the hurricane season. I kind of like the idea of making the move when there might be that risk. If one happens and she doesn't survive, at least she will go down at sea. If she does survive, maybe the people who have the finances to give her renewed life will realize that is what she deserves and make it happen.
3 days, 10 hours and 40 minutes, to be precise.
@@dagr382 Even better again......didn't she beat it by 10 hours?
I was a cadet from the USMMA and sailed on the vessel for 3 voyages NY/ Dover and Bremahaven in 1961! It was a memorable experience and one I will cherish forever!
Michael Marco USMMA 1963
Beautiful ship. Grand and majrstic. Its sad to see it rot away.
I don’t want her to go.. not like the way they are planning. It’s not enough, it’s not right
Where did they take her to? The Philadelphia Naval Yard? (to be scrapped)
This thing has gone unnoticed since the 1960s, not even considered worth saving, now you're following it's every move......why?
distraction from the typical neocolonialism perpetrated by the U.S.
Good Question. And why are we concerned about a ship and not the thousands of homeless veterans who actually did something for this country?
It's going to be towed to Florida and sunk as an artificial reef and scuba diving destination.
Sometimes you need to let go. THis ship has no interior anymore. They ripped it all out when it was in Turkey to remove asbestos. It would cost over a 100 million or more to refurbish... No one seems willing to lay that amount of money on the table...But if you have it then go for it...
The lowest restoration estimate I've seen is over one billion.
It's amazing how people can ignore historical artifacts up until it's not feasible to restore & preserve them. Same thing happened with Bannerman's Castle in New York. It sat abandoned, suffered through decades of damage and sections collapsing. All of a sudden some group starts saying "we nwwd to preserve it. The structure is little more than a couple crumbling walls now, the interior is LONG gone (there isn't even an "inside" now). You wanted it saved, should have thought of that when it was still salvageable.
@@SenileOtaku WE can't save everything and everything we try and save will be lost in another time as future generations will not see the relevance of it for whatever reason..
I was crew in 1969 on one her last sailings. The first moon landing took place while we were at sea. Sad she could not find a home.
She's a landmark with the same greatness and significance as the Washington Monument, and they're turning her into a reef??? Shame
I've never understood the purpose of the Washington Monument. It's rather ugly, just like the Twin Towers were.
@@ModMokkaMatti It's to honor George Washington for the vision of the country he charted (which many others of his era praised), and it's an architectural embodiment of it.
Letting that ship be destroyed as a sin and a crime as far as I’m concerned
How much have you personally donated to the SSUS Conservancy?
It's a shame America will lose a great ship to the depths of the ocean floor VERY SAD!
“Everyone held their breath” as the ship went under the bridge… Except the truckers driving directly over the ship on the bridge
I feel bad for this ship, it's so historically and ppl are trying to save it but it's future looks grim. They want to sink it. This ship deserves better and at this point it's a Philadelphia landmark.
Some how , some way, this ship must be saved, just imagine this blank canvas in the right hands would be like with a complete refit, absolutely beautiful ❤️
This is so cool to see. Then realize TV cameras of the day didn't have the resolution of an old cell phone.
its so nice to see her in motion, but also very bittersweet, knowing her fate.
She was built in my home town and my Grandfather helped build her. It's sad to see that she will ether go to the scrapping yard or sunk. She should be restored to a point to become a museum ship or restored to her glory for local cruises for that nostalgic experience of how things used to be.
Local cruises? That isn't like taking Dad's olde model T for a spin, she uses a thousand tons of fuel a day, requires a crew of over 1,000, get real.
Evidently, bridge concerns are one of the reasons she still hasn't been moved from Philly.
Youd think she would be as valuable to us as th statue of Liberty, but no shes just rotting away like this country...
Would it make too much sense to hold traffic on the bridge, while a ship this size with such tight cleareance goes under? This is why things happen. I sudden tide shift, and the ship would hit the bridge. The typical "I'll be alright!"
They could have cut the stacks down and wouldn't have held their breath. Can you imagine the cost to the taxpayers with another destroyed bridge.
@@Oldschoolrules123Right? We've already had one bridge end up in the drink this year (Dammit Dali!). We don't need a second.
Tides don't "Suddenly shift"; they're as predictable as the sunset.
Why would you hold your breath? I wouldve taken a deep breath that way if it doesnt fit and the bridge collapses, i can hold my breath for slightly longer under the water until i can swim up to the surface
Beautiful ship a shame what is going to happen to it. It is flat out an embarrassment!!!! It should be federally owned ,restored, and be a federal monument
I wonder if they could use controlled bubbles under the ship in order to lower it just enough to complete these kinds of tasks.
It was 1962 ,I was 7 years old. We were coming home on the SS UNITED STATES. We loved her.. I hope someone or Corporation comes forward to save her. I'm not a fan of the offshore reef idea in Florida, but it's better than scraping her. It would be nice if our Government would step up with some $$
How did the ship get to Philly in the first place?
12/09/24 reports are the departure is bring held up for several reasons, including whether the ship can pass under the Delaware bridges. Obviously, it can pass under the WW bridge. I would imagine the stacks can be shorn a couple of feet if necessary for the Commode Barry and the Delaware Memorial bridges.
"Pride Of The Country", Huh?... Isn't this the one they are going to Drag out to Sea and SINK to make Habitat for The Fish and Octopuses?... Haha!... Marvelous!....
you elected Biden so stop talking about any pride in the country.
And 30 years later, she is still sitting in Philadelphia with nothing being done to her
It's not easy to do things when being cash strapped.
So right. With Americans bleating about how it should be restored etc etc and not one of them would ever have opened their chequebook to contribute to funding a restoration in the past or now and won't be ever.
@@Salutimondo I have seen arguments that because it's name is United States, the government should pay for the restoration. That is idiotic. It's estimated to be close to a billion dollars to refurb it.
@@mike_minnickThe government has no money, it all belongs to the taxpayers.
@@Salutimondo What exactly has that so-called conservancy ever done except beg for more and more money? Couldn't even put a cheap coat of paint on her in all this time.
SS United States - literally represents the country. Once a magnificent one, now remains as a shell. Still looking impressive from outside but completely gutted inside by the money leaches, and now ready to sink. - Exactly same as the United States of America.
Yes , the United States was fast& set the record for crossing the Atlantic in 3 Days, 10 hours , NOT 2 days
imagine using a actual old camera..
THAT IS LEGENDARY.
Hate to say it but just too far gone. Yes there would possibly be a chance but something this large would be insane.
The U S government picked up 2/3 of the cost of building the ship provided it could be transformed into a troop ship in 72 hours. A lot of aluminum was used which made it much lighter than other liners. And the only wood allowed in the ship was the grand piano and the butchers blocks. William Francis Gibbs, the architect, had a phobia about fire.
I believe the Navy has a phobia about fires. Fires on ships are not good.
Wenn ich genug Geld hätte, würde ich es original herrichten lassen.
One billion US dollars ($1,000,000,000US) is the lowest estimate for that, and then you'll have a restored vessel that was obsolete 40+ years ago.
It all depends on the tide. Some times it will others it won't. If high tide, then not likely, possible during low tide though.
It's news to them that the ship was in Philly? damn it's been there for over 40 years.
Amazing job
The 50's are over. The ship has been gutted. Nothing left to preserve.
Personally I think it's too far gone to save. It's a beautiful ship though. Maybe a cruise company could order another one built.
Agreed. It would be cheaper to build another one of the same design than it would be to restore this one.
Exactly one year before i was born
Man, I thought this was a new video about them moving it out of Philly
I'm amazed it still floats.
The way she was designed and built, that is no surprise. If allow to, she will float long after we are all dust.
Fresh Water. USS Olympic is just up the river and built in 1892. The only reason that ship is floating is location.
Only 5 ft of clearance? jeeze that is a ton of room
Amazing interesting I’ve never seen these before.
This is not the first time she went under the Walt Whitman, and we had a similar issue when the QE2 visited. Drama clickbait.
Sad to see her go, especially sibce contributing numerous times to her conservancy foundation. Knowing the legacy of decades of plan after plan failing to come to fruition, it's time.
Queen Mary of England was converted into a museum by Long Beach in 1967.
And our own ship the SS United States will be sunk and turned into a "coral reef" for maritime exploration.
I only hope they would get it out of the Water!
And The Country Restore. Her!
It really breaks my heart that she is going to be sunk. She should be a national landmark, not a hunk of scrap metal to be forgotten. It makes me sick to my stomach.
In 50 years or so we will again have the problem with all the battleship museum ships needing work. Is anybody aware of what happened to the destroyer The Sullivan Brothers? That was a shame. Sank at it's mooring.
How many PERMITS did it take
Obviously if it made it there why would it not make it out. At least it is getting put to good use finally. I don't get it why they don't do it with all scrap ships.
A rusted hulk ready for disposal. Thanks for the memories!
What has been allowed to happen to this ship is a disgrace, especially considering all the ships in an entire class of military ships are afforded museum status.
This will be eternally forever.
She deserves better...
They could redo the interior spaces with airplane material. light and fancy. Do the engines, new turbo monsters. That hull is the speedster, dump the weight, make the old girl dance. Then, a new record, bingo!
symbolic of our dead corporation posing as a country - Whitman wrote poetry on the horror of Civil War as he volunteered as a nurse in the hospital
It is so sad to sink her now. She should have been saved.
Smooth sailing to the finest ocean liner of the U.S.A! Hope and pray that somehow she can be preserved and remain somewhere in the U.S.A.!
The lowest estimate to restore her to a vanilla passenger liner is over One Billion US dollars.
I am astounded that with that little clearance between the ship and the bridge, they still allowed traffic to cross on it? Not very smart. Sad to see this magnificent ship die like this.
Was this filmed in the 80s?
1996
The father brought that ship home to his son.
Meanwhile the cruiser Olympia sits at Penns Landing badly needing a dry docking and heavy repairs. You have to pick your fights. So far all I ever heard were words for preserving the United States. Talk is cheap. If you have an extra hundred million laying around then step up tp the plate..
They must not have been to worried about it.....there was still traffic on the bridge
so what are they gonna do with her?
Reef
They didnt even stop traffic on the bridge?!?!😮
Pretty stupid concept, it made it under the bridge when it was going upstream. Unless they lowered the bridge it's going to make it. Duh
"Move closer to your wharf"
Jeez! Especially with the Key Bridge incident in Baltimore still fresh in our minds.
It passed under 30 years ago. It will be fine.
The whole idea of why they purchased this ship from Turkey was because they wanted to turn it into a floating casino. Back then the laws were different. No one wanted a casino. So the idea was to get around those laws because floating a way from land the laws were different. They would get around those rules. But then every politician saw how much money Atlantic city was making and allowed casino construction everywhere. So the whole concept was no longer feasible..
Film from 1996 for those interested
God dam shame they don’t save this ship…
Maybe Warren Buffet will buy it. He just sold allot of stock.
Too bad it's about to be sunk. I wanted to see it up close, but never got the chance. And I'm no diver, so I'm not gonna be going down to where the ship will be resting.
The closest anyone has been allowed for 30 years, other than actual port workers, was about 100 yards.
I used to load off the neighboring docks in the late 1990s, and they had it fenced off and locked down tight.
Her last voyage😢
They must preseve this ship!!
0:36 Axl Rose Voice
Just about every bridge we pass under there’s only 5 or less feet of clearance
they should stop ppl coming ova bridge
Impressive that it's still afloat after all these years. What a waste. 😓
She did the crossing in 3 days 10 hours not 2 days
Yes, let's hold our breath instead of making 100 percent sure before destroying an important bridge.😂😂😂😂😂
I can't understand why they didn't remove the funnel caps.
5' of clearance, (for just the funnel caps) is acceptable in undisturbed water
It's heartbreaking for every lover of ships, but we have to "man-up". The United States was built for commercial reasons and subsidised for militaristic ones. Her heyday was in the fifties but her appeal as a mode of travelling between continents and usefulness as a troopship was eclipsed by the airliner.
It costs a fortune to preserve a large railway / railroad locomotive and that's nothing compared to an ocean liner. Without the likes of some tech billionaires stepping in, she was never likely to be saved.
They should rename it to the SS Michigan.
Why? Because everything in Michigan turns to rust anyway?
I have been watching the Mechanic Mike postings and I'm glad I don't live there. Cars about the age as mine with the whole suspension rusted out.
The ship shoild be saved
Go buy it then.
@@bartertown wish I could it is history
Like a few inches of clearance lol.
Still looks majestic over the decades, but gotta let her go. The cost to maintain her is no joke.
The problem is she hasn’t been maintained .
Maybe if we didn't give so much damn money to Ukraine we could save her.
@@FordHoard Thanks, but I'll keep my money. I don't want any going to Ukraine or this rust bucket.
@@FordHoard Yes, exactly! So much wasted funds towards so much useless initiatives over a historic piece of history to our country here.
@@Oldschoolrules123 Yes, I would also rather keep my money. Except everyone is paying out their ears for the vast funds sent to Ukraine and everywhere else. I would totally have preferred that same amount of money going towards the SSUS in every way. Saving and preserving our history should be top priority and sadly it is not. Old school rules over new school!
this look like a tragically waiting to happen
They didn’t shut down the bridge back then for the USS New Jersey they shut the whole bridge down. I guess we’re soft this generation they probably looked at it like yeah it’s all right back then😂