Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2010 by Peter Knego
SS UNITED STATES funnel and bridge illuminated. Copyright Big Ship Films.
The SS UNITED STATES Conservancy will be presenting a special event on July 1, 2010 in Philadelphia, PA to help raise national awareness about the ongoing plight of the 1952-built SS UNITED STATES:
“Please join us on Thursday, July 1 in Philadelphia for a grand celebration in honor of the 58th anniversary of the record-breaking maiden voyage of the SS United States. We will share some important updates about progress achieved by the Conservancy and our partners and key supporters on behalf of our nation’s flagship! We will gather in the Columbus Commons/IKEA South Philadelphia complex across the street from the SS United States’ current pier and the ship’s funnels, bridge, radar mast, and running lights will be lit, a tradition started by artist Robert Wogan in 1999. Weather permitting, a special outdoor screening of the award-winning documentary SS United States: Lady in Waiting will follow the formal program. Events will run from 7 – 10 PM. Light fare will be served and the band Jimmy and the Parrots will perform a set which will include their stirring tribute to the SS United States, ‘Symbol of America.’ It will be a very special evening, and we hope you can join us.
July 1 National Flagship Celebration Schedule
7:00 Music and Refreshments
8:00 Special Announcement and Awards
8:30 Lighting of SS United States’ funnels
8:45 Outdoor Screening of SS United States: Lady in Waiting”
For more information and to subscribe to the Conservancy’s newsletter, please e-mail ssusconservancy@gmail.com or call (888)-488-7787.
Joseph Sturges
June 27, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Superb plan to draw attention to the vessel which brought the Blue Riband back to America. She was and is so unique and one of a kind. While she
didn’t have the warmth of AMERICA, the US was cutting edge in 1952 and no other country ever built a ship to come close to our National Flagship.
Bravo US Conservancy!
John Cant
June 27, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Hopefully this will draw more attention to the plight of this great ship. Having worked for US L:Ines and traveled several times on the UNITED STATES, I am hoping that she can be saved from the scrapyard.
David
June 27, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Be nice to see brought back with the same lines , no added wedding cake superstructure. Just a slight modernized interior. KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED !
Guy de Lestang
June 28, 2010 at 1:58 am
Nothing but superb !!!
Paul
June 28, 2010 at 5:39 am
Lets hope it happens
Rob Lightbody
June 28, 2010 at 5:57 am
This is great… but can’t someone, while they’re up there, simply paint the funnels? It would be a great symbol of “the rest of the ship could look like this” and would spark interest. Being aluminium, they could gleam just like new.
Glenn Paull
June 28, 2010 at 6:42 am
I was a stockholder in the 50s and remember reading in the annual reports that Gen. Franklin and the Board were in favor of building a sister ship for the big U. Cunard had the Queens and they felt she was at a disadvantage not having a running mate but it was too late and not to be. I remember visiting corporate at 1 Broadway and a gracious secretary asked me if I wanted to see the Hales trophy on the 2nd floor, It was not only large but beautiful, I don’t know where it is at present. My last trip was eastbound march 1968 and not a good time to be on the north Atlantic. Good luck my old friend you know we will help if we can – and with Susan Gibbs and Mark Perry we could very well succeed.
John Cant
June 28, 2010 at 4:49 pm
I know that there was the thought of building a sister ship, but the money was not available. I believe that the government paid 47 million of the 78 million cost and US Lines paid the rest. While on sales meeting at 1 Broadway I too had the chance to see the Hales Trophy., plus, I believe, the builders large scale model of the United States. I wonder what happened to it? Ken Gautier was VP Passenger Services along with Al DeReithsal ,General Passenger Manager and Bob Martim, Asst General Passenger Manager, in the 50′s and 60′s. Great Idea to paint the funnels. Maybe a fund could be set up to cover the cost. I would be happy to contribute
Brian Jensen
June 28, 2010 at 6:20 pm
2020? I hope they meant 2010… Talk about advance notice!
Peter Knego
June 28, 2010 at 6:47 pm
LOL — Thanks for the head’s up on the typo, Brian! Although it never hurts to give a decade or two’s worth of notice in such important matters…
Pat
June 28, 2010 at 11:17 pm
Nice to see the old lady bathing in a little bit of illuminated glory.
I had the privilege of going on board her when she visited Cape Town, South Africa in the 1970s. Very nice lines from the outside but inside I thought she was a little austere with all that metal and aluminium fittings and furnishings as no wood was used for anything.
Having said that I still think she is even today still a super looking ship as I do have an affection for twin funnelled ships.
I have a great suggestion for saving her. Send her to Long Beach to take the place of the Queen Mary which could be removed and sent back home to her birth place in United Kingdom. I never did understand why you wanted to preserve a foreign vessel built in the UK when you have a better candidate inT the United States which was built in the USA.
PAT
Matthew
June 29, 2010 at 9:49 am
Hi Peter,
Have you ever heard of the cruise liner SS Hermes? Picture here: http://media.shipspotting.com/uploads/photos/117396.jpg
She has been laid up Piraeus since 1994 (when Epirotiki Lines went defunct) Do you now if there is any chance for her to be saved, or will she just become a Greek UNITED STATES (as in laid up for 41+ years)
Peter Knego
June 29, 2010 at 9:58 am
Hi Matthew,
The HERMES is the ex JUGOSLAVIA, one of a trio of sisters built for Adriatic coastal service. I haven’t seen her for over a year (she used to be in central Piraeus but has since been moved) but she did operate for Olympic Short Cruises after the collapse of ROC in 2004. HERMES sister, JADRAN is now a floating restaurant in Toronto. I suspect HERMES will be going to Aliaga as she was looking pretty run-down when I last saw her. Beautiful little ship.
Peter Knego
June 29, 2010 at 10:00 am
PS. HERMES now has a blue hull.
Matthew
June 29, 2010 at 10:04 am
I had no idea JADRAN was a sister of the Hermes. They don’t look to much a like it seems, but maybe that’s because Epirotiki Lines refitted her heavily for cruising. When I saw her JARDAN she looked more like a ferry.
Glenn Paull
June 29, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Hi John Cant – If you haven’t seen” Lady in Waiting” yet you can obtain a copy from the Conservancy, Ken Gautiers daughter and Laura Franklin are in it and its a well produced documentary on the big U.
John Cant
June 30, 2010 at 8:00 am
Re Jadran. She has been docked in Toronto for many years and is used as Captain John’s seafood restaurant, a very popular place to dine.
John Cant
June 30, 2010 at 8:04 am
Hi Glenn Paull:: have been trying to get a copy sent to Canada but no one seems to want or know how to send it. Will try the Conservatory.. Thanks for the info..
Captain Gort
July 1, 2010 at 11:57 am
Can’t somebody convince The History Channel and perhaps NOVA do do specials on this ship…to get the interest and awareness of the public??
Mark C. Potts
July 2, 2010 at 7:50 am
It’s interesting. What’s happening to this ship is kind of what’s happening to our Countrys’ people. Built in the Golden ’50′s she was a showcase for our Country, now almost 60 yrs later a few really care. It’s sad. I’m not being political, I’m talking about our citizens. People need to wake up, stop hiding under their bed covers, and explore life. Just like this ship needs to get out of port and go on a voyage, we do to.
Corey
July 3, 2010 at 2:39 am
To Pat it must of been late sixties when u saw her because she was laid up in 1969. If longbeach would not of bought her she would of been scrapped. England would of been perfect for any of the queens. I wish QE2 would be a hotel of the Thames . I think it would be a huge success. Right now the queen Mary couldn’t be moved because she has been so chopped up and reconfigured she is not sound as a moving ship. She would sink. Long beach is broke and they r not putting big money into her. I m happy they r trying to keep her in business. New York perfect for united states.
Bruce
July 5, 2010 at 1:35 pm
I agree w/Rob. If the funnels were sandblasted and re-painted, it would show people what she could look like!