@@midshipcinema I would love to see this given the Google Earth Street View-type of treatment. I don't know how it works, but some must have mounted a camera system - similar to what the GE cars have - on their shoulders and walked on hiking trails, and the like. No corner of the ship would be too mundane for me to watch. If it does get sunk this is all we will ever have.
From England here, I was hoping she'd be saved, it's a great shame. People put so much effort and money into visiting the Titanic yet this beautiful work of art has been left to rot.
Yes, so VERY unfair. That no one or no city has stepped up to save the SSUS is nothing but tragic. I am just sick at the thought of her possible demise. I want to see her fully restored to her original beauty.
Unfortunately, in 1984 her then owner gutted all of her interior furnishings. Even the stateroom walls are gone. From that point forward, she remained as a rusting shell, which is what is plaguing her today and help solidify the decision to sink her to make her an artificial Reef. To me, it is blasphemy and an insult to American Ingenuity and pride!
The SSUS and the Norway. Two ships I’ll never be able to visit and would give so much to have experienced in their prime. Thank you for this video Peter. One of the best timepieces we’ll have left of this great liner.
This is the best tour I have seen since I walked her decks in May of 1958 as she carried me with my parents and younger sister from Scotland to New York. I was conceived in 1950 and born in 1951, so we are the same age. Count me among those who would very much like to see her find new life with dignity as something that would draw millions of new visitors, somewhere where she is welcome.
Thank you, Peter. I've been avoiding most of the sullen click-bait videos about the SSUS in the past weeks, but when I saw your video in my feed, I knew it would be a respectful treatment.
Thank you for the trip down memory lane. I was able to take the tour and meet Ms. Gibbs in 2022, and it’s one of the most enriching things I’ve ever done. I felt like I was back on board, which eased the sting of being unable to return in time
Wonderful video, thank you for sharing! She is indeed a remarkable ship and still in sound shape under the rust. I was fortunate to tour her the day before you and am still in awe of the experience!
It's a sad day when this ship leaves. She is the optimum of engineering at the time, a true example of the capabilities of the United States. Let's hope salvage is an option. Thanks for sharing, Peter. Kindest regards: Jim van der Mei Brisbane Australia
Thank you Peter for your tour video and commentary. I hope your footage is eventually spliced with video of restored space in a few years time and this unpleasant moment in her history is an uncomfortable memory. She is a unique work of engineering and design and so deserving of saving, restoration and curation. I am hopeful an 11th hour save comes again. Old things can be restored and repurposed. She seems very well constructed and was overbuilt for a century of use. Much older ships in much worse shape are still with us and in various states of restoration and use. An almost 100 year old, fully restored - coal fired steam locomotive occasionally passes through town near my home up in NE Pennsylvania pulling 19 coaches filled with admiring and inspired tourists. Legions of fans come from all over the globe to see it chuff along the tracks. It gives me hope that old can be new again and people will revel in the value of our Nation's Flagship as guests and museum goers rather than through scuba masks. While she may never sail again, a museum ship fate with hotel rooms and venue spaces for events and onboard museum would make logical sense, perhaps even "condo suites" people could own or lease to be near a seaside destination or desirable cityscape.
Thank you so much, Benjamin. You make some very cogent observations and I would LOVE to return in a few years with new footage showing these spaces restored! :)
That bow is so elegant and inimitable.This ship still holds a unique transatlantic speed record.A few years ago it was almost full speed ahead for a total revamp and relaunch as a cruise ship but sadly that was halted.Port fee hikes are an outrage and the city of Philadelphia should let her remain till a better option arises.
@@midshipcinemalatest reports indicate this inimitable vessel is going to be sunk as an artificial reef.Hopefully there will be enough vocal opposition to prevent this atrocity from occuring.The Philadelphia port Authority are cold hearted greedy and isolated in their treatment of this iconic vessel.Shame on them.They deserve zero respect.!.If this plan comes to pass their port will be the most undesirable place to visit as it will hold nothing of interest at all.!.
Thank you Peter. Your footage and words made me realize what beauty the world may lose , so i decided to donate. Me and my wife visit the Rotterdam anually, i hope we get to see this ship in person one day, without diving gear.
I’ve been following this magnificent ship for years. I’ve watched many videos of her in her present state and this video by far is the best one to date. It allows me to picture in my mind’s eye what was there before they gutted her. I vote to make her a reef. When the day comes to finally move her out of her berth how sad will it be that she would be going to Alang and not back to nature. Bravo Peter
There is footage of her before the gutting: th-cam.com/video/BMcKp-3No7U/w-d-xo.html From 1991, and is nearly 4 hours long 🤯 I watched it all the way through, and can just see how she was when she was still in service.
Thanks so much Mary Lou. I fear even reefing will require her stacks and mast to be scrapped, which is unfathomable to me, pardon the pun. I do hope somehow there is yet another reprieve.
"What is wrong with this world." this sums up how I think a lot of us feel when we keep seeing time and again history not being able to be saved/preserved.
Thank you! That was so nice of Chris to refer his viewers here. I'm so glad you like the channel and look forward to sharing many more videos about ships, both old and new. :)
30 years ago I flew into Philly for a work assignment and saw the ship on our approach flying in. I knew what it was and made a trip to go see her quayside. Really something!
Thank you Peter for showing us this wonderful beautiful ship. She had been through so much...she deserved to be saved and brought back to her best times. I do hope with all of my heart she could be saved! Love her and all her great stories ! She is a Jewel ! 🥰
An excellent, well-presented narrative. I too took a tour in early August. I must say this tour seems to have visited more spaces on the ship than mine did. Nevertheless, having taken a tour, this video is a lasting memory (saved to my TH-cam account,) documenting, and sadly most likely memorializing, her as she was during my visit. I would love to latch on to the presenter’s sentiment that there’s still time for a miracle save, but with i’s dotted and t’s crossed on the reefing contracts that now appears highly unlikely. Living in the Philadelphia suburbs and as a longtime Conservancy supporter my drives on I-95 will be marked by sadness in the ship’s absence, thinking fondly on what could and should have been.
Thank you Peter. Knowing the eviction date is quickly approaching, I drove up to Philadelphia 2 days ago just to take a final look at her. I first laid eyes on her in the 90s while crossing the Walt Whitman to visit family in Delaware. I was amazed and have since read many articles about her. What a wonderful tour of her interior. What I would give to have been able to tour her. However, this is the next best thing. ❤ looking forward to the next video
Thanks Peter. As hull design changes, and the X hull becomes the new innovation, nothing will replace the view and feelings inspired by a trans ocean V hull.
Peter, excellent video! As a six year old emigrating to our new home in America, 1956, with my family, I still feel the ships vibrations during our crossing. They are "Good Vibrations" which the Beach Boys sang years later. Submerged is no place for this beautiful ship.
Amazing footage! Apart from the rust and peeling paint, the insides look like they would have in 1951 while under construction in Newport News. So much potential ...
Thank you, Wayne. I agree. One almost expects to run into members of team Gibbs and Cox with their blueprints in hand. There is so much potential but getting people to see what we can see is a mystifying process.
Gonna miss her, got up close once and drove by her multiple times on the ben Franklin or Walt Whitman bridge (forget which one) and she was absolutely amazing to see. I’m sad I can’t see it again and sad nobody can buy her. Gonna miss her being in my city.. ❤ And I agree so much with your message at 2:00.
Thank you, Peter so much for posting this video! I rode on her in 1961 as a boy. Will never forget!. I still can't imagine that some waterside City can't take her and turn her into a Hotel Convention Center! She really is like a clean canvas ready to go! Interesting point: when you showed the morgue, it reminded me that my aunt Freida had died on the ship coming back from Europe, 6 months before my trip on the ship.. It was her husband, my uncle, that highly recommended the ship to my dad and was the reason we took her rather than the QM. Thanks, -Greg in California
Thank you Peter for this video. I live in hope she will be saved. It's so sad to see what is happening to this beautiful ship. When you see other Ocean Liners that have been preserved Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth 2 managed by Accor Hotels in Dubai and Rotterdam also a Hotel Museum in Rotterdam, this Liner has so much potential. Thank you again for this excellent video.
Read the story of this great vessel last night. Sorry to hear about it its imminent end. Thank you for the excellent video. Watching from Nova Scotia Canada
Thank you for a fantastic tour of this huge ship, one really gets an idea of what exploring this magnificent but stripped down inside & decaying on the outside ship is currently like.After watching this video l have to sadly say it would take a massive amount of work to restore this ship.
Super video. Keep up the good work. I hope beyond hope that she can be saved as I want to visit her and stay on her. A TWA-terminal style makeover and positioned in New York would be just incredible, and a perfect place to stay before or after a QM2 Atlantic crossing! One nit-pick though, at the end you say "We have the Queen Mary and the Rotterdam and a handful of lesser known liners..." - you don't mention the poor old QE2, and she's hardly lesser known. She was incredibly famous during her in-service years, more-so than the SSUS, and doesn't deserve to be forgotten either, even if she's out of sight in Dubai - if she doesn't succeed, she'll need saving too...
Hi Rob and yes, I forgot QE2, although I haven't been a fan of her preservation in Dubai. She's so out of place there and those empty rooms I keep seeing on social media give me shivers. I promise to mention her in future videos on this subject.
@@midshipcinema I am a former passenger of QE2 from 1997 and glad she has been spared the scrappers torch or becoming a reef. The Dubai climate at least keeps some of the worst corrosion at a minimum. But I too think her location limits her popularity in retirement. Ships need deep pockets for maintenance and restoration and ironically the nations who built these prized leviathans cannot afford to retire them properly. I suppose the Rotterdam is the exception. And those older British museum ships from the 1800s.
Thank you, Peter, for this important and hopefully influential last-chance documentary. I have always wanted to see the SS United States, and I have a file from reporting various resurrection plans over the years, including Crystal Cruises under Genting Hong Kong. Sigh.
That's got to be one of the best videos of her I've seen Peter. An excellent tour, I hope she gets repurposed again. I'm looking forward to the next video.
You were very lucky to have visited. I got to see here up close from land once, I was able to get up to the last fence. I wish there was a way to save her.
thank you for this. i'm a long-time lover of ocean liners. i used to pay 50 cents to the seamen's fund to wander around the liners when they were in port in the 50's and early 60's. i saw the united states in turkey in 1992, and i have a drawing of her at her pier at 48th street in the summer of 1952 street. btw, isn't the qe2 still around somewhere?
True, as far as a return to cruising is concerned. Her only positive future would be in a static role unless a private entity with more money than God wants to restore her to active service and no goal on recouping the investment. A passion project.
@@midshipcinema You should look at the real estate market and then tell me who would pay to restore this hulk into something useful. Commercial real estate is abundant and cheap.
I came over from England on that boat in 1968 with my British Mother & American Dad, three sisters and my brother. The irony, I live in Okaloosa County who is trying to make it a Reef.
SS United States, William Francis Gibbs' "Magnum Opus", and the fastest ocean liner in recorded history. It's really unfortunate and quite sad, knowing her (current) fate. Once magnificent, slicing through the sea like a sharp knife, bringing passengers to their destination in luxury. Nowadays, a hulk. How wonderful it would be to see her brought back to her glory days, but, alas. If only some rich person with a passion for historic preservation would step up to the plate to rescue her. It would be a monumental task but I say it would be ultimately worth it.
I am posting / sharing your video on as much social media with the hope that someone can swoop in and save this treasure! I hope others are doing the same.
Hi peter my name is Jennifer I live in Maryland. I've been working on the SS United States since 2020. The conservancy is going to reef the ship with a land based musuem off the coast of Ohlooska county Florida😢. But I talk to mrs gibbs about a possible pier in Detroit Michigan where another ship called the SS Badger also built 1952 (still in operation) is currently docked . Will keep you updated
Love the BADGER. Alas, the SS US is too wide to make it through the St. Lawrence Seaway, so Detroit could never be an option. Still clinging to hope despite the likely outcome. Thank you, Jennifer, for supporting this beautiful ship.
The Badger is an active ferry at Ludington on Lake Michigan. The United States is too wide, tall and long to fit under the bridges and through the locks from Quebec City all the way up to Port Colborne, Ontario.
@@stevenburns8817 hello its Jennifer. Okay. Can you help navigate other possible ways to get the SS United States up to the great lakes please. Would appreciate it💗
So they decide to preserve the queens and our flag ship gets to be sunk?! We must say our goodbyes to the old lady and thank you Peter for the adventures we had with her❤
I have flown by the SS United States a few times over the years since 2017 when landing at the Philadelphia airport. Always sitting on the right side of the plane to see how the grand old ship was doing and taking some pictures. My Uncle who is now 84 sailed on SS United States back in the 60's, during the years of his Navy service as part of the first crew aboard the USS Enterprise CVA-65 aircraft carrier. It will be strange and sad not to see the SS United States docked in Philadelphia, as I look out of the window as I land there in the future.
Peter, thanks again for another great video, albeit this one's heart-wrenching subject. So sad to see one of the greatest ships of all times in this state. There's absolutely no excuse she isn''t in New York harbour mirroring the life of the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Why can't some billionaire like Bill Gates be a liner nut like us, and say "Here! Don't care what it costs; here's the money; restore it to original and preserve the fastest passenger ship in history and America's only homebuilt superliner!" I never sailed on the Big U.....as we always took the Cunard Queens. But, I remember in 1967 at age 8, in NY ready to sail to Europe on the QE, My father took me aboard the Big U for a look around....I remember it well. Although to me even at that tender age, I didn't like the interiors at all compared to the Queens, I told my father that to me the United States was like a big Matsonia or Lurline (In their postwar decor) which we had sailed on several times. I must say I was impressed by those huge funnels with the "wings".......to me they reminded me of a '59 Chevrolet's gull wings! Anyway, cheers!
My family and I sailed on this grand ship in 1963 when we moved to England. I was only 9-year-old but I still remember so many details. I remember meeting actor John Wayne in the dining room. It was a trip of a lifetime. Looks much different now :(
How? When Queen Mary came into Long Beach in 1967, she had an interior and was fully functional. She also is owned by Long Beach, which owns the pier that she is at, so there are no docking fees unlike the SS US. If the interior can be recreated without using asbestos in the SS US, I'm all for it, but that would cost a fortune, and no one has really raised enough money to do it.
The QM as a floating building through the decades (since being retired in the late 1960s) has wrestled with profit & loss. Costs to convert it in 1968 were huge & current costs to maintain it are enormous too. Personally, I think the only ocean liner that will convert easily to a stationary hotel/attraction is the QM2 launched in the early 2000s. It lacks the exterior elegance of older ships (it looks like a top-heavy cruise ship) - including the SSUS - but its interiors are very fancy. Nicer by today's standards than the QM or SSUS were by their era's standards.
Dream on. The QM is a money pit. This POS has been stripped of all that would have made her an interesting museum many decades ago. She is clearly a tax write-off.
@gridley The QM is very nice for 1930s standards, without going over the top like the Normandie did, while I never considered the SSUS really that nice (for the '50s) and rather cold because of all of the fire safety requirements. The QM2 has a huge hull for dealing with fierce Atlantic storms. Also, I really don't consider her top heavy like certain cruise ships that have foreheads on them and end in "__ of The Seas".
@@jdslyman1720 The QM2 launched in the early 2000s to me will be ideal if it's eventually converted into a floating hotel/convention site. Unlike the SSUS of the 1950s (or the QE2 of the 1960s), the QM2 of the 2000s reflects the greater wealth & standards of the past 20 years. In comparison, the SSUS was built not long after decades of the Great Depression & turmoil of WWII. However, if were switched to something like the QM or QE2, it could have riffed on nostalgia for "I Love Lucy," cars with fins or Elvis Presley & the Rat Pack.
Let the navy restore it, that's a dang good training ship for navy maintenance members. Put all new recruits there for 2 weeks after graduation for paint removal and such.
Let’s see….ride on a bloated cruise ship…or take a retro cruise in this ultimate classic…along with many throw back 50s-60s themed movies dances meals lounges etc ?
Peter, I was surprised to see many interior places where she appeared stable, solid and in good shape. The exteriors, for the most part, are very sad.
There’s also a fine book called: A man &his ship. Don’t remember the author but it has lots of fine pictures of the U..S. In its heyday. I hope someone steps up & rebuilds this Iconic liner!
That would be such a cool dive site and people would get to see her and think about her history. I hope that happens over scraping. It was gutted of its interior 40 years ago and no rehab plan has come to fruition.
Mara time history has always struggled for recognition and support. The SSUS has classic lines. Compared to today’s cruise ships which are nothing but floating hotel rooms. Hoping for a positive outcome here. Not scrapping or reefing. 🇺🇸
One would think a consortium of corporations, particularly defence contractors, would be able to save her as a tribute to America's commitment to the freedom of people everywhere.
I’ll be sad for those who love her if she does go down. I don’t have much of an attachment to her, but I will admit she’s beautiful. The Enterprise wasn’t saved after WW2, Nevada wasn’t either, along with other historical warships, and I have more of an attachment to warships than civil ships. However, I would be lying if I said she doesn’t deserve to be conserved. She needs a hell of a lot of work, and the old girl isn’t wanting to go down just yet.
I was sad to hear she's going to be sunk. I had hoped something would come up to save her. It's weird how Americans don't seem to want to fight for her. Nothing like her will ever be built again.
You touched on a sore subject. If she had been used for a war she may be worthy of restoration. I’m very proud of all of our ships of war that are being saved and for the memories of the people who served on them. You mentioned the Rotterdam and QM. I’ve had two trips to the Queen, one for dinner and tour then years later my wife and I spent the night on her. The drinks in the bar were even more tasty with the art deco surroundings. Yet, we celebrate the QM from another country and ships of war from ours this huge piece of American history is left to rot and to be scuttled for fish to enjoy. SHAME on our govt and us for letting the ship our tax dollars helped build turn to rust……
Amazing that it still exists, amazing that it may soon be gone. I went up from my home in Delaware a short 40 miles to see her on Sept. 22, and felt sick knowing her uncertain future. With all that is spent on nonsense in this world it's a sin that something can't be done to keep her afloat.
She won’t be the only ship we might soon lose, from what I know the MV Astoria (former Stockholm) is about to broken up for scrap too, as G&B ship register puts it as “to be broken up” I always wanted to visit the port of Rotterdam to see the ocean liner named after it, but after I lost interest in ships in 2023 that went to the back of my mind, but recently I have been getting sort of interested in ships again, so maybe I can visit Rotterdam and perhaps catch a quick glimpse of Astoria before she is sent away.
THe ROTTERDAM is well worth visiting. It is hard to see ASTORIA up close as she is in a somewhat secured area but there are nice harbor cruises that pass her from a distance. THe person who bought her has done nothing but let her sit and rot, sadly, so it does look like her next stop is the scrapyard.
I’m from Philly and I HATE that we’re losing this ship!!! I love that it’s here and I had hoped that w Phillys vast ship building resources, we’d be able to bring her back to life either as a sea going vessel or a hotel, attraction for the city- could you imagine playing laser tag through the bowels of that ship??? Insane!!
It's in surpisingly good condition in the interior considering it's been undermaintained for 40 years. It's a shame it couldn't be brought over to the great lakes as it'd probably get more intrest and be cheaper and easier to access and maintain and find volunteers. There aren't many attractions like that over this way.
@@midshipcinema Unfortunately It's probably not an option due to the sheer size of the United States. It's as long and wide as the largest vessels on the great lakes, It's also about 40-50ft taller. If it could make it up here it'd likely never be able to arrive or leave in one piece. As with some more investigation I don't think it could make it under the bridges. It'd likely do better down in Galveston, TX. Though the salt water would cause additional problems that are not needed. The most realistic and optimistic option would be someone buying out the company that owns the current pier, and writing off the potential lost revenue for tax purposes as it's for a historical ship and/or museum, but even that would be temporary. In all honestly the ship really isn't anything but a blank canvas, it has potential, but the question is as what? It's realistically too large to generate enough revenue as a stand alone Museum. As all the money that they have gotten has gone straight into rent and temporary fixes, it doesn't have the appeal or draw of a Battleship. Entertainment venues come and go so quickly due to market fluctuations that they aren't a viable option, hence the kicking of the can that the ship has already experienced. Multiple historical vessels have been lost trying to do the same thing already. The thing that would make the most practical long term use of the ship in a functional sense would be one of the ideas the military had previously for it. A Hospital ship. Being that it's already gutted it'd make a realitively quick conversion. It'd also be a faster response than most of the other current vessels in the fleet due to the ships design for higher speeds. I'm probably just rambling but those are my thoughts on the matter. I was very surpised at this recent video showing the ships interior, most things that have been derelict for as long as this ship usually aren't still in a restorative state.
Thank you for sharing these impressions. I guess I might have been blessed with a kind of self protection gene, though. I made a quick stop at about 3.50 minutes to weep. This ship is a beauty and as much as I am aware of “rational thinking”, I want to believe in her being saved.
I say those to blame for why the ship sits as it is have long since died and what’s left is a ship that waits for a commandant with the US Marines to bring it to Congrssional docking for complete refurbishment. G. Myron. Cmmdt.
@@STEN3326 I appreciate getting a peak of my old work space, the after engine room as licensed junior engineer circa 1969. We had a large complement of engineers, electricians, Oilers & firemen manning the Boilers, main engines, turbo-generators, etc. Would like to see the rest of the machinery space before she departs....
Peter I have been following your work since the EARLY maritime matters days . Its sad to see her go but this has been 30 years in the making unfortunately
Thank you and yes, this steady decline has caused by a series of events over the decades. But she's still sound and while she exists, I will keep hoping. :)
So sad as are but days away from her last voyage to her final destination to become an artificial reef. This once gorgeous and state of the art ship, her design years ahead of others of her time, a world record holder will be a sad loss to the all who have come to know her history.
Thank you for one of the most informative videos of the ship to date. Where are our priorities in this country? Why are we not reaching out to save her, especially with the 250th anniversary coming up? The superstructure of this vessel alone (with her red, white and blue colors) is as much "United States of America" as any number of other landmarks we have preserved. Money needs to be raised, a location found, and work done. But we are the greatest country on earth, and we can do it. Don't let her sink beneath the waves for an artificial reef and allow the generations who come after us say "what a terrible shame she wasn't saved!". I have sent money for years and if the vast majority of our population unites now, something can be done!
I'm hoping the same and thank you for your kind comments. The SS KEEWATIN, a gorgeous Edwardian steamer on the Great Lakes was sold for scrap and waiting for the ice around her to melt for the tow to the scrappers when she was saved by a private entity back in the 60s. It is not unheard of but of course, the odds are challenging. Not that the situation is dire and urgent and cannot be ignored or pushed off, let's hope something galvanizes ASAP. Thanks again.
@@midshipcinema The first priority is to find a place to put her. If we can get to that asap, we can perhaps breathe a little easier. I am not knowledgeable enough about what could be available. They are saying "nothing so far" but there has to be some place. Additionally, there is not enough interest being generated by the general public. They need to prioritize television coverage and anything else that will generate interest. People need to realize that she will be gone forever if action isn't forthcoming. (This "reefing solution" is making me sick!)
Beautiful and tragic at the same time. Thanks for taking us on board, Peter ❤️
As ever, thank you, Frank. :)
Best tour of the ship I've ever seen. This should have been televised years ago.
Thank you. I'll actually have a much more detailed one with vintage imagery coming soon.
@@midshipcinema I would love to see this given the Google Earth Street View-type of treatment. I don't know how it works, but some must have mounted a camera system - similar to what the GE cars have - on their shoulders and walked on hiking trails, and the like. No corner of the ship would be too mundane for me to watch. If it does get sunk this is all we will ever have.
From England here, I was hoping she'd be saved, it's a great shame. People put so much effort and money into visiting the Titanic yet this beautiful work of art has been left to rot.
Yes, so VERY unfair. That no one or no city has stepped up to save the SSUS is nothing but tragic. I am just sick at the thought of her possible demise. I want to see her fully restored to her original beauty.
Unfortunately, in 1984 her then owner gutted all of her interior furnishings. Even the stateroom walls are gone. From that point forward, she remained as a rusting shell, which is what is plaguing her today and help solidify the decision to sink her to make her an artificial Reef. To me, it is blasphemy and an insult to American Ingenuity and pride!
Thank you, Peter, for this quite heart wrenching piece of history.
Thank you for watching. :)
The SSUS and the Norway. Two ships I’ll never be able to visit and would give so much to have experienced in their prime. Thank you for this video Peter. One of the best timepieces we’ll have left of this great liner.
Thank you. I hope that changes and one day in a better world, you can visit the SSUS. :)
Thank you, Peter, for sharing this magnificent Ocean Liner with us today.
Thank you, Chris.
This is the best tour I have seen since I walked her decks in May of 1958 as she carried me with my parents and younger sister from Scotland to New York. I was conceived in 1950 and born in 1951, so we are the same age. Count me among those who would very much like to see her find new life with dignity as something that would draw millions of new visitors, somewhere where she is welcome.
Wow, thanks so much, Mark! In solidarity! :)
Another lovely video Peter .This beautiful ship deserved so much better from the nation she represents .Hope she clings on a bit longer to be saved .
Thank you and yes, much hope there! :)
Really enjoyed this video. I hope that she can be saved. She's a beautiful ship and so historically important.
Thank you and agreed on her salvation. :)
Thanks Peter, a joy to watch as always. It was great to meet you on the tour!
Sam, such a pleasure to meet you, too! Thanks for lighting up the engine room! :)
Thank you, Peter. I've been avoiding most of the sullen click-bait videos about the SSUS in the past weeks, but when I saw your video in my feed, I knew it would be a respectful treatment.
Thank you. Yes, some of the negativity surrounding the efforts to preserve the ship has been daunting but we must persevere. :)
Thank you for sharing this Peter. After a glorious start, what a sad story this ship has had over the past decades.
Thank you, Chris. Yes, very sad latter life but all that could be remedied if she were restored in some ways and preserved.
I sailed on this ship as a 12 year old boy from Germany to New York.
The state of the ship is due to neglect and the money
@@JosephCameron-gv1nz Very cool about your crossing in her. Despite the cosmetics, she's actually in pretty sound shape.
Thank you for the trip down memory lane. I was able to take the tour and meet Ms. Gibbs in 2022, and it’s one of the most enriching things I’ve ever done. I felt like I was back on board, which eased the sting of being unable to return in time
Thank you so much. Appreciate your watching.
Wonderful video, thank you for sharing! She is indeed a remarkable ship and still in sound shape under the rust. I was fortunate to tour her the day before you and am still in awe of the experience!
Thank you! Yes, I think people write her off as a wreck just because of the cosmetics. She is still a sturdy and enduring engineering marvel.
Thank you Peter
Thank you, Peter! :)
It's a sad day when this ship leaves. She is the optimum of engineering at the time, a true example of the capabilities of the United States. Let's hope salvage is an option. Thanks for sharing, Peter. Kindest regards: Jim van der Mei Brisbane Australia
Thank you so much, Jim. It really is sad that without war being involved, ship preservation is so difficult.
Thank you, Peter. Wonderful review and so good to see you after so many years. Will Bolin
Thanks so much, Will. :)
Well done, and I feel your pain. Time will tell whether they just bled money for all those years, without the happy ending.
No matter the outcome, the goal was sterling. I certainly can't fault them for trying to save the ship.
Thank you Peter for your tour video and commentary. I hope your footage is eventually spliced with video of restored space in a few years time and this unpleasant moment in her history is an uncomfortable memory. She is a unique work of engineering and design and so deserving of saving, restoration and curation. I am hopeful an 11th hour save comes again. Old things can be restored and repurposed. She seems very well constructed and was overbuilt for a century of use. Much older ships in much worse shape are still with us and in various states of restoration and use. An almost 100 year old, fully restored - coal fired steam locomotive occasionally passes through town near my home up in NE Pennsylvania pulling 19 coaches filled with admiring and inspired tourists. Legions of fans come from all over the globe to see it chuff along the tracks. It gives me hope that old can be new again and people will revel in the value of our Nation's Flagship as guests and museum goers rather than through scuba masks. While she may never sail again, a museum ship fate with hotel rooms and venue spaces for events and onboard museum would make logical sense, perhaps even "condo suites" people could own or lease to be near a seaside destination or desirable cityscape.
Thank you so much, Benjamin. You make some very cogent observations and I would LOVE to return in a few years with new footage showing these spaces restored! :)
That bow is so elegant and inimitable.This ship still holds a unique transatlantic speed record.A few years ago it was almost full speed ahead for a total revamp and relaunch as a cruise ship but sadly that was halted.Port fee hikes are an outrage and the city of Philadelphia should let her remain till a better option arises.
It is. And those stacks! Saving a 990 foot ocean liner is a treacherous endeavour.
@@midshipcinemalatest reports indicate this inimitable vessel is going to be sunk as an artificial reef.Hopefully there will be enough vocal opposition to prevent this atrocity from occuring.The Philadelphia port Authority are cold hearted greedy and isolated in their treatment of this iconic vessel.Shame on them.They deserve zero respect.!.If this plan comes to pass their port will be the most undesirable place to visit as it will hold nothing of interest at all.!.
Thank you Peter. Your footage and words made me realize what beauty the world may lose , so i decided to donate. Me and my wife visit the Rotterdam anually, i hope we get to see this ship in person one day, without diving gear.
Thanks so much! And yes, no diving gear! :)
I am not giving up hope that someone comes along to save this American Icon. 🙏 America please don't let her get lost forever!!!
I'm with you!
I would like to see her saved but she is too far gone. Nothing has been done to her this whole time.
@@alexrebmann1253 She's really not too far gone. The peeling paint and rust is cosmetic.
@@midshipcinema Its not the exterior but the interior
@@alexrebmann1253 right, its stripped completly (why?). Without original parts it will never be something, like the SS Rotterdam.
Thanks for putting together this video and sharing, Peter. Great content as always!
Thank you, Wayne.
I’ve been following this magnificent ship for years. I’ve watched many videos of her in her present state and this video by far is the best one to date. It allows me to picture in my mind’s eye what was there before they gutted her. I vote to make her a reef. When the day comes to finally move her out of her berth how sad will it be that she would be going to Alang and not back to nature. Bravo Peter
There is footage of her before the gutting:
th-cam.com/video/BMcKp-3No7U/w-d-xo.html
From 1991, and is nearly 4 hours long 🤯
I watched it all the way through, and can just see how she was when she was still in service.
@@jdslyman1720 thank you for that. I will watch it.
Thanks so much Mary Lou. I fear even reefing will require her stacks and mast to be scrapped, which is unfathomable to me, pardon the pun. I do hope somehow there is yet another reprieve.
Great footage my dear big brother
Thank you, my dear Eren.
What an exquisite documentary and absolutely perfect narration. Thank you, Peter.
That is so kind of you. Thank you. :)
Please...she deserves a new opportunity!🥺😢
Agreed!
"What is wrong with this world." this sums up how I think a lot of us feel when we keep seeing time and again history not being able to be saved/preserved.
So, so true! Thank you! :)
nice Peter came to you from Chris Frame recommendation and its worth it! great channel
Thank you! That was so nice of Chris to refer his viewers here. I'm so glad you like the channel and look forward to sharing many more videos about ships, both old and new. :)
A wealthy country like the USA should be able to find the funds to save it's "own ship" and restore her back to her original glory.
Agreed.
Why? You can't save everything you romanticize about.
Can’t, busy raising prices so our Government can continue to send billions to Ukraine and Israel.
They are too busy funding apartheid Israel
Yet we can keep sending money to Ukraine and funding illegal immigrants......
30 years ago I flew into Philly for a work assignment and saw the ship on our approach flying in. I knew what it was and made a trip to go see her quayside. Really something!
Very cool! Thank you for appreciating her.
She was built where I work!! Very cool video Peter!!
Cool! Thank you! :)
Excellent work Peter.
Thank you so much.
I was hoping for this! Thank you!
Thanky you.
Thank you Peter for showing us this wonderful beautiful ship. She had been through so much...she deserved to be saved and brought back to her best times. I do hope with all of my heart she could be saved! Love her and all her great stories ! She is a Jewel ! 🥰
Thank you! In solidarity....
Thank you for posting!
Thanks for watching. :)
An excellent, well-presented narrative. I too took a tour in early August. I must say this tour seems to have visited more spaces on the ship than mine did. Nevertheless, having taken a tour, this video is a lasting memory (saved to my TH-cam account,) documenting, and sadly most likely memorializing, her as she was during my visit. I would love to latch on to the presenter’s sentiment that there’s still time for a miracle save, but with i’s dotted and t’s crossed on the reefing contracts that now appears highly unlikely. Living in the Philadelphia suburbs and as a longtime Conservancy supporter my drives on I-95 will be marked by sadness in the ship’s absence, thinking fondly on what could and should have been.
Thank you. I appreciate that and share your hopes for a miracle save. Anything is possible but not necessarily probable at this point. :)
Very nice to meet you, thank you for this video
Nice to meet you, too. Thanks for watching. :)
Thank you Peter. Knowing the eviction date is quickly approaching, I drove up to Philadelphia 2 days ago just to take a final look at her. I first laid eyes on her in the 90s while crossing the Walt Whitman to visit family in Delaware. I was amazed and have since read many articles about her. What a wonderful tour of her interior. What I would give to have been able to tour her. However, this is the next best thing. ❤ looking forward to the next video
Thank you. I'm so glad you enjoyed this tour. And thank you for appreciating her. :)
Thanks Peter. As hull design changes, and the X hull becomes the new innovation, nothing will replace the view and feelings inspired by a trans ocean V hull.
SO true, Alberto! Funny how the X-hull made its comeback. Everything has its cycle.
Peter, excellent video! As a six year old emigrating to our new home in America, 1956, with my family, I still feel the ships vibrations during our crossing. They are "Good Vibrations" which the Beach Boys sang years later. Submerged is no place for this beautiful ship.
Amazing footage! Apart from the rust and peeling paint, the insides look like they would have in 1951 while under construction in Newport News. So much potential ...
Thank you, Wayne. I agree. One almost expects to run into members of team Gibbs and Cox with their blueprints in hand. There is so much potential but getting people to see what we can see is a mystifying process.
Gonna miss her, got up close once and drove by her multiple times on the ben Franklin or Walt Whitman bridge (forget which one) and she was absolutely amazing to see. I’m sad I can’t see it again and sad nobody can buy her. Gonna miss her being in my city.. ❤
And I agree so much with your message at 2:00.
Thank you so much. In solidarity on 2:00, lol. I think it is the Walt Whitman that has the better, closer view of her.
Being born in Philly I’ve been looking at this my whole life. Thanks for the video
Thank you for watching. :)
Thank you, Peter so much for posting this video! I rode on her in 1961 as a boy. Will never forget!. I still can't imagine that some waterside City can't take her and turn her into a Hotel Convention Center! She really is like a clean canvas ready to go!
Interesting point: when you showed the morgue, it reminded me that my aunt Freida had died on the ship coming back from Europe, 6 months before my trip on the ship.. It was her husband, my uncle, that highly recommended the ship to my dad and was the reason we took her rather than the QM. Thanks,
-Greg in California
Thank you, Greg. How great it must be to have that memory of your crossing. Wow, very interesting about your aunt, too.
Thank you Peter for this video.
I live in hope she will be saved.
It's so sad to see what is happening to this beautiful ship.
When you see other Ocean Liners
that have been preserved
Queen Mary,
Queen Elizabeth 2
managed by Accor Hotels in Dubai
and Rotterdam also a Hotel Museum in Rotterdam, this Liner has so much potential.
Thank you again for this excellent video.
Thank you. As long as she exists, I try to keep hoping. It is a miracle that she is still here. :)
Read the story of this great vessel last night. Sorry to hear about it its imminent end. Thank you for the excellent video. Watching from Nova Scotia Canada
Oh, thank you! Still clinging to a shard of hope but bracing for whatever the outcome will be.
Thanks, for one more look at Her.
I hope for more but thank you in the interim. :)
Thank you for a fantastic tour of this huge ship, one really gets an idea of what exploring this magnificent but stripped down inside & decaying on the outside ship is currently like.After watching this video l have to sadly say it would take a massive amount of work to restore this ship.
Thank you for watching. :)
Super video. Keep up the good work. I hope beyond hope that she can be saved as I want to visit her and stay on her. A TWA-terminal style makeover and positioned in New York would be just incredible, and a perfect place to stay before or after a QM2 Atlantic crossing! One nit-pick though, at the end you say "We have the Queen Mary and the Rotterdam and a handful of lesser known liners..." - you don't mention the poor old QE2, and she's hardly lesser known. She was incredibly famous during her in-service years, more-so than the SSUS, and doesn't deserve to be forgotten either, even if she's out of sight in Dubai - if she doesn't succeed, she'll need saving too...
Hi Rob and yes, I forgot QE2, although I haven't been a fan of her preservation in Dubai. She's so out of place there and those empty rooms I keep seeing on social media give me shivers. I promise to mention her in future videos on this subject.
@@midshipcinema I am a former passenger of QE2 from 1997 and glad she has been spared the scrappers torch or becoming a reef. The Dubai climate at least keeps some of the worst corrosion at a minimum. But I too think her location limits her popularity in retirement. Ships need deep pockets for maintenance and restoration and ironically the nations who built these prized leviathans cannot afford to retire them properly. I suppose the Rotterdam is the exception. And those older British museum ships from the 1800s.
Thank you, Peter, for this important and hopefully influential last-chance documentary. I have always wanted to see the SS United States, and I have a file from reporting various resurrection plans over the years, including Crystal Cruises under Genting Hong Kong. Sigh.
Thank you so much, my revered colleague and friend. I do hope somehow it can help the cause, even though we are down to the last shard of wick.
@@midshipcinema Bless you for caring about this national treasure and documenting its significance.
That's got to be one of the best videos of her I've seen Peter. An excellent tour, I hope she gets repurposed again. I'm looking forward to the next video.
Aww, thank you, Deborah! Working on the Decked and a full Sea Cloud update, too. Hopefully soon. :)
@@midshipcinema you're welcome. I'll be watching for the SEA CLOUD Decked video 🥰🤗
You were very lucky to have visited. I got to see here up close from land once, I was able to get up to the last fence. I wish there was a way to save her.
Thank you. Yes, I've been fortunate to have been able to visit her four times between 1984 and now. Beautiful ship.
@@midshipcinema I would love to get the chance to go aboard.
what a beautiful ship!!!
Thank you for seeing past the paint and rust. She certainly is! :)
Well done, Peter.
Thank you. :)
thank you for this. i'm a long-time lover of ocean liners. i used to pay 50 cents to the seamen's fund to wander around the liners when they were in port in the 50's and early 60's.
i saw the united states in turkey in 1992, and i have a drawing of her at her pier at 48th street in the summer of 1952 street. btw, isn't the qe2 still around somewhere?
Thank you. Nice memories! Yes, QE2 is in Dubai as a floating hotel.
Unfortunately, it's less expensive to build a new, modern ship, than to refurbish this one!
True, as far as a return to cruising is concerned. Her only positive future would be in a static role unless a private entity with more money than God wants to restore her to active service and no goal on recouping the investment. A passion project.
@@midshipcinema well, like they said, even the cost of removing the lead paint would be astronomical
@@midshipcinema You should look at the real estate market and then tell me who would pay to restore this hulk into something useful.
Commercial real estate is abundant and cheap.
This video is a time capsule. Great capture.
Thank you. :)
Thank you
Thank you.
What a shame.. Thank you for the tour
Thank you for watching.
VERY WELL DONE!!!!
Thank you! :)
What a loss, thanks Peter 😢
In solidarity on this. Thank you.
I came over from England on that boat in 1968 with my British Mother & American Dad, three sisters and my brother. The irony, I live in Okaloosa County who is trying to make it a Reef.
Wow, that is quite a coincidence!
SS United States, William Francis Gibbs' "Magnum Opus", and the fastest ocean liner in recorded history. It's really unfortunate and quite sad, knowing her (current) fate. Once magnificent, slicing through the sea like a sharp knife, bringing passengers to their destination in luxury. Nowadays, a hulk. How wonderful it would be to see her brought back to her glory days, but, alas. If only some rich person with a passion for historic preservation would step up to the plate to rescue her. It would be a monumental task but I say it would be ultimately worth it.
Agreed but even now she is much more than just a hulk.
I am posting / sharing your video on as much social media with the hope that someone can swoop in and save this treasure! I hope others are doing the same.
Thank you, David. I'm honored.
There are billionaires in the world who could step up to do this; and think of the tax write off to benefit them. And, we would have our ship.
@@bjmajor Yes. Sigh.
Hi peter my name is Jennifer I live in Maryland. I've been working on the SS United States since 2020. The conservancy is going to reef the ship with a land based musuem off the coast of Ohlooska county Florida😢. But I talk to mrs gibbs about a possible pier in Detroit Michigan where another ship called the SS Badger also built 1952 (still in operation) is currently docked . Will keep you updated
Love the BADGER. Alas, the SS US is too wide to make it through the St. Lawrence Seaway, so Detroit could never be an option. Still clinging to hope despite the likely outcome. Thank you, Jennifer, for supporting this beautiful ship.
The Badger is an active ferry at Ludington on Lake Michigan. The United States is too wide, tall and long to fit under the bridges and through the locks from Quebec City all the way up to Port Colborne, Ontario.
@@midshipcinema I understand about making it through the Saint Lawrence seaway. Im navigating over possibilities. Will keep you updated
@@stevenburns8817 hello its Jennifer. Okay. Can you help navigate other possible ways to get the SS United States up to the great lakes please. Would appreciate it💗
@@stevenburns8817 Her draft is 28 and the ship is 990 feet long.
I have donated $$$ to the conservation of this beautiful ship!
With you on that.
Will be a sad if she is sunk or scrapped. 😢😢
So they decide to preserve the queens and our flag ship gets to be sunk?! We must say our goodbyes to the old lady and thank you Peter for the adventures we had with her❤
Yes, such a sad end for something so special.
I have flown by the SS United States a few times over the years since 2017 when landing at the Philadelphia airport.
Always sitting on the right side of the plane to see how the grand old ship was doing and taking some pictures.
My Uncle who is now 84 sailed on SS United States back in the 60's, during the years of his Navy service as part of the first crew aboard the USS Enterprise CVA-65 aircraft carrier.
It will be strange and sad not to see the SS United States docked in Philadelphia, as I look out of the window as I land there in the future.
Thank you. It is nice to see your connection with this special ship.
Peter, thanks again for another great video, albeit this one's heart-wrenching subject. So sad to see one of the greatest ships of all times in this state. There's absolutely no excuse she isn''t in New York harbour mirroring the life of the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Why can't some billionaire like Bill Gates be a liner nut like us, and say "Here! Don't care what it costs; here's the money; restore it to original and preserve the fastest passenger ship in history and America's only homebuilt superliner!" I never sailed on the Big U.....as we always took the Cunard Queens. But, I remember in 1967 at age 8, in NY ready to sail to Europe on the QE, My father took me aboard the Big U for a look around....I remember it well. Although to me even at that tender age, I didn't like the interiors at all compared to the Queens, I told my father that to me the United States was like a big Matsonia or Lurline (In their postwar decor) which we had sailed on several times. I must say I was impressed by those huge funnels with the "wings".......to me they reminded me of a '59 Chevrolet's gull wings! Anyway, cheers!
Thanks so much, Mark. And since Gibbs did MATSONIA, you were spot on. But those funnels, perfection!
My family and I sailed on this grand ship in 1963 when we moved to England. I was only 9-year-old but I still remember so many details. I remember meeting actor John Wayne in the dining room. It was a trip of a lifetime.
Looks much different now :(
Fantastic memories. Thank you so much for sharing here. :)
It should be re-purposed as a hotel in the same way as Queen Mary.
How? When Queen Mary came into Long Beach in 1967, she had an interior and was fully functional. She also is owned by Long Beach, which owns the pier that she is at, so there are no docking fees unlike the SS US. If the interior can be recreated without using asbestos in the SS US, I'm all for it, but that would cost a fortune, and no one has really raised enough money to do it.
The QM as a floating building through the decades (since being retired in the late 1960s) has wrestled with profit & loss. Costs to convert it in 1968 were huge & current costs to maintain it are enormous too. Personally, I think the only ocean liner that will convert easily to a stationary hotel/attraction is the QM2 launched in the early 2000s. It lacks the exterior elegance of older ships (it looks like a top-heavy cruise ship) - including the SSUS - but its interiors are very fancy. Nicer by today's standards than the QM or SSUS were by their era's standards.
Dream on.
The QM is a money pit.
This POS has been stripped of all that would have made her an interesting museum many decades ago.
She is clearly a tax write-off.
@gridley The QM is very nice for 1930s standards, without going over the top like the Normandie did, while I never considered the SSUS really that nice (for the '50s) and rather cold because of all of the fire safety requirements. The QM2 has a huge hull for dealing with fierce Atlantic storms. Also, I really don't consider her top heavy like certain cruise ships that have foreheads on them and end in "__ of The Seas".
@@jdslyman1720 The QM2 launched in the early 2000s to me will be ideal if it's eventually converted into a floating hotel/convention site. Unlike the SSUS of the 1950s (or the QE2 of the 1960s), the QM2 of the 2000s reflects the greater wealth & standards of the past 20 years. In comparison, the SSUS was built not long after decades of the Great Depression & turmoil of WWII. However, if were switched to something like the QM or QE2, it could have riffed on nostalgia for "I Love Lucy," cars with fins or Elvis Presley & the Rat Pack.
Let the navy restore it, that's a dang good training ship for navy maintenance members. Put all new recruits there for 2 weeks after graduation for paint removal and such.
How does one get the navy on board for such a plan? I like it.
And we have a Navy Yard right there in South Philadelphia!!!!
@@midshipcinema Find a way to make a politician or 8 rich.
I’ve always loved this idea. I know it would never happen but I like imagining the Navy commissioning it as a hospital ship/humanitarian vessel.
I guess I have been living under a rock. I am 65 and never heard of this ship 😮
Sadly, many great ships get quickly forgotten in our world but she's worthy of learning more about.
Yes, and that's why nobody has ever spent real money on it.
I really liked seeing the ship in the Disney movie Bon Voyage! from 1962 staring Fred MacMurray where they take the ship on vacation to Europe 😁
Yes, it has nice footage of her. I remember it when I was a kid.
Let’s see….ride on a bloated cruise ship…or take a retro cruise in this ultimate classic…along with many throw back 50s-60s themed movies dances meals lounges etc ?
Wouldn't that be dreamy? I'd just love to stay in her with repurposed, respectful new interiors and do the same. :)
After the loss of the Aurora, it would be truly sad to lose the SS US this year as well.
Amen to that. Too much carnage in the classic ship realm.
So sad, to see her like this. I’m hoping for good news come September 12th, but I’m not hopeful. Thanks, Peter, for this tour.
Thank you, Karen. She looks bad on the outside but is still very strong and viable. I hope, too....
Peter, I was surprised to see many interior places where she appeared stable, solid and in good shape. The exteriors, for the most part, are very sad.
It absolutely pisses me off that somehow this ship is going to be sunk. This is a tragedy that should be avoided.
Wholeheartedly agree.
People have had 55 years to prevent this from happening. Nobody has stepped up with enough money.
@@stevenburns8817 Too bad everything is always about money.
The artist at the end looked like he was drawing something really good! Bittersweet to see this video. Hope she will be saved and not reefed.
Yes, he spent the day doing various studies both onboard and ashore. Very talented, nice guy. With you on the salvation. :)
There’s also a fine book called: A man &his ship. Don’t remember the author but it has lots of fine pictures of the U..S. In its heyday. I hope someone steps up & rebuilds this Iconic liner!
That would be such a cool dive site and people would get to see her and think about her history. I hope that happens over scraping. It was gutted of its interior 40 years ago and no rehab plan has come to fruition.
Reefing would be better than scrapping, I agree but both are still unthinkable to me.
Mara time history has always struggled for recognition and support. The SSUS has classic lines. Compared to today’s cruise ships which are nothing but floating hotel rooms. Hoping for a positive outcome here. Not scrapping or reefing. 🇺🇸
Agreed.
One would think a consortium of corporations, particularly defence contractors, would be able to save her as a tribute to America's commitment to the freedom of people everywhere.
No longterm vision, unfortunately.
I’ll be sad for those who love her if she does go down. I don’t have much of an attachment to her, but I will admit she’s beautiful. The Enterprise wasn’t saved after WW2, Nevada wasn’t either, along with other historical warships, and I have more of an attachment to warships than civil ships.
However, I would be lying if I said she doesn’t deserve to be conserved. She needs a hell of a lot of work, and the old girl isn’t wanting to go down just yet.
Thank you for seeing through the superficial rust. :)
@@midshipcinema No problem, she’s an absolute beauty even in her days of decay!
She is already dead.
@@midshipcinema It's literally made of steel. Rust is wasted steel.
RUST IS NOT SUPERFICIAL.
Actually there’s a petition to turn her into a national park
She's been sold to become a reef but anything can happen.
I was sad to hear she's going to be sunk. I had hoped something would come up to save her. It's weird how Americans don't seem to want to fight for her. Nothing like her will ever be built again.
Agreed.
You touched on a sore subject. If she had been used for a war she may be worthy of restoration.
I’m very proud of all of our ships of war that are being saved and for the memories of the people who served on them. You mentioned the Rotterdam and QM. I’ve had two trips to the Queen, one for dinner and tour then years later my wife and I spent the night on her. The drinks in the bar were even more tasty with the art deco surroundings.
Yet, we celebrate the QM from another country and ships of war from ours this huge piece of American history is left to rot and to be scuttled for fish to enjoy.
SHAME on our govt and us for letting the ship our tax dollars helped build turn to rust……
Well said.
Amazing that it still exists, amazing that it may soon be gone. I went up from my home in Delaware a short 40 miles to see her on Sept. 22, and felt sick knowing her uncertain future. With all that is spent on nonsense in this world it's a sin that something can't be done to keep her afloat.
Thank you and agree wholeheartedly. :)
She won’t be the only ship we might soon lose, from what I know the MV Astoria (former Stockholm) is about to broken up for scrap too, as G&B ship register puts it as “to be broken up” I always wanted to visit the port of Rotterdam to see the ocean liner named after it, but after I lost interest in ships in 2023 that went to the back of my mind, but recently I have been getting sort of interested in ships again, so maybe I can visit Rotterdam and perhaps catch a quick glimpse of Astoria before she is sent away.
THe ROTTERDAM is well worth visiting. It is hard to see ASTORIA up close as she is in a somewhat secured area but there are nice harbor cruises that pass her from a distance. THe person who bought her has done nothing but let her sit and rot, sadly, so it does look like her next stop is the scrapyard.
I’m from Philly and I HATE that we’re losing this ship!!! I love that it’s here and I had hoped that w Phillys vast ship building resources, we’d be able to bring her back to life either as a sea going vessel or a hotel, attraction for the city- could you imagine playing laser tag through the bowels of that ship??? Insane!!
Agreed and thank you. :)
It's in surpisingly good condition in the interior considering it's been undermaintained for 40 years. It's a shame it couldn't be brought over to the great lakes as it'd probably get more intrest and be cheaper and easier to access and maintain and find volunteers. There aren't many attractions like that over this way.
Exactly. She is still very sound and viable. Too bad about that St. Lawrence Seaway. :)
@@midshipcinema Unfortunately It's probably not an option due to the sheer size of the United States. It's as long and wide as the largest vessels on the great lakes, It's also about 40-50ft taller. If it could make it up here it'd likely never be able to arrive or leave in one piece. As with some more investigation I don't think it could make it under the bridges. It'd likely do better down in Galveston, TX. Though the salt water would cause additional problems that are not needed.
The most realistic and optimistic option would be someone buying out the company that owns the current pier, and writing off the potential lost revenue for tax purposes as it's for a historical ship and/or museum, but even that would be temporary.
In all honestly the ship really isn't anything but a blank canvas, it has potential, but the question is as what? It's realistically too large to generate enough revenue as a stand alone Museum. As all the money that they have gotten has gone straight into rent and temporary fixes, it doesn't have the appeal or draw of a Battleship. Entertainment venues come and go so quickly due to market fluctuations that they aren't a viable option, hence the kicking of the can that the ship has already experienced. Multiple historical vessels have been lost trying to do the same thing already.
The thing that would make the most practical long term use of the ship in a functional sense would be one of the ideas the military had previously for it. A Hospital ship. Being that it's already gutted it'd make a realitively quick conversion. It'd also be a faster response than most of the other current vessels in the fleet due to the ships design for higher speeds. I'm probably just rambling but those are my thoughts on the matter. I was very surpised at this recent video showing the ships interior, most things that have been derelict for as long as this ship usually aren't still in a restorative state.
Thank you for sharing these impressions. I guess I might have been blessed with a kind of self protection gene, though. I made a quick stop at about 3.50 minutes to weep. This ship is a beauty and as much as I am aware of “rational thinking”, I want to believe in her being saved.
Thank you and yes, sometimes we need to rise above the pressures of the moment and save the things that made us great in the first place.
I say those to blame for why the ship sits as it is have long since died and what’s left is a ship that waits for a commandant with the US Marines to bring it to Congrssional docking for complete refurbishment. G. Myron. Cmmdt.
W Francis Gibbs would be furious to see you in his top-secret engine room!😱
I kind of think not since it is not 1952 but I hear ya. :)
@@midshipcinema 😉
@@STEN3326 I appreciate getting a peak of my old work space, the after engine room as licensed junior engineer circa 1969. We had a large complement of engineers, electricians, Oilers & firemen manning the Boilers, main engines, turbo-generators, etc. Would like to see the rest of the machinery space before she departs....
Any news at all.? Tomorrow is the day and I’m so stressed. I hope and pray she will make it
Agreed. No news yet but I hope there will be something tomorrow.
Peter I have been following your work since the EARLY maritime matters days . Its sad to see her go but this has been 30 years in the making unfortunately
Thank you and yes, this steady decline has caused by a series of events over the decades. But she's still sound and while she exists, I will keep hoping. :)
So sad as are but days away from her last voyage to her final destination to become an artificial reef. This once gorgeous and state of the art ship, her design years ahead of others of her time, a world record holder will be a sad loss to the all who have come to know her history.
Yes, if the reefing actually does happen, however, it will take many months or a year or two to get there.
Thank you for one of the most informative videos of the ship to date. Where are our priorities in this country? Why are we not reaching out to save her, especially with the 250th anniversary coming up? The superstructure of this vessel alone (with her red, white and blue colors) is as much "United States of America" as any number of other landmarks we have preserved. Money needs to be raised, a location found, and work done. But we are the greatest country on earth, and we can do it. Don't let her sink beneath the waves for an artificial reef and allow the generations who come after us say "what a terrible shame she wasn't saved!". I have sent money for years and if the vast majority of our population unites now, something can be done!
I'm hoping the same and thank you for your kind comments. The SS KEEWATIN, a gorgeous Edwardian steamer on the Great Lakes was sold for scrap and waiting for the ice around her to melt for the tow to the scrappers when she was saved by a private entity back in the 60s. It is not unheard of but of course, the odds are challenging. Not that the situation is dire and urgent and cannot be ignored or pushed off, let's hope something galvanizes ASAP. Thanks again.
@@midshipcinema The first priority is to find a place to put her. If we can get to that asap, we can perhaps breathe a little easier. I am not knowledgeable enough about what could be available. They are saying "nothing so far" but there has to be some place. Additionally, there is not enough interest being generated by the general public. They need to prioritize television coverage and anything else that will generate interest. People need to realize that she will be gone forever if action isn't forthcoming. (This "reefing solution" is making me sick!)