Posted on Friday, September 28, 2012 by Peter Knego
Peter Knego continues with his tour of the famed SS UNITED STATES during his recent visit to Philadelphia, with a look at the ship’s upper deck areas and striking MidCentury Ocean Liner architecture.
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All photos by and copyright Peter Knego 2012 unless otherwise noted.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Builder’s plate.
Built at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, UNITED STATES was the crowning achievement of William Francis Gibbs (1886 — 1967), considered by many to be America’s greatest marine architect. Aside from creating the fastest and safest passenger ship in the world, Gibbs was intent on giving the SS UNITED STATES the appearance of “power and might”.
Builder’s stencil.
Gibbs was known as a taskmaster and perfectionist. Perhaps more than any ship built to date, the UNITED STATES was held to an extraordinarily high standard of construction, which is probably why she has endured 40-plus dormant years so well.
William Francis Gibbs with the UNITED STATES. Peter Knego collection.
Gibbs’ fascinating life story has been thoroughly covered in the recently released book,”A Man And His Ship — America’s Greatest Naval Architect And His Quest To Build The SS UNITED STATES” by Steven Ujifusa. Obsessed with ocean liners and ships in general, he began drawing them at the age of 3, with a prescient emphasis on speed, size and large funnels. In 1916, he and his brother Frederick formed an architectural firm called the Gibbs Brothers Company (later renamed Gibbs and Cox) and in 1921, they were hired to convert the German-built liner VATERLAND into the U.S. flagship LEVIATHAN. Future liner commissions would include Matson’s magical MALOLO of 1927, Grace Line’s SANTA ROSA quartet of 1932 — 33 and what would probably be the most beautiful U.S.-built liner of all time, the SS AMERICA of 1940.
Foredecks:
United front.
In addition to her long, gracious fo’c'sle, which spans from the tip of the bow aft via a pair of boons, cargo holds and deck houses, the UNITED STATES boasts an imposing, grand ocean liner “layer cake” superstructure capped by a wheelhouse with open wings that extend over the side of the ship.
Port side portal.
Forward superstructure.
Such curvature and grace, once common on the high seas, has all but vanished in today’s more space-efficient but aesthetically challenged, slab-sided maritime world.
Stepped shadows.
Peeling paint and traces of rust cannot obscure the glorious elements of the UNITED STATES’ architecture.
Wheelhouse banner.
Banner, ctd.
A banner urging awareness for the UNITED STATES’ plight was erected by the Conservancy across the ship’s wheelhouse this past July.
Radio Mast and Sampan Funnels
Flying bridge, facing aft.
Three magnificently sculpted aluminum structures top the ship — a robot-like radio mast and two over-sized, domed funnels that made the UNITED STATES instantly recognizable, even from great distances.
Mast from below.
The mast has an almost “early sci-fi” look with its rounded crow’s nest. The uppermost platform and railing were sheared off (and now lie at the base of the mast) so the ship could pass safely under the Walt Whitman Bridge when she was moved to her current berth.
Funnels from aft flying bridge.
Facing up to forward funnel.
The UNITED STATES’ two huge funnels are Gibbs’ signature “Sampan” design, with a teardrop footprint sporting squared-off fins under a domed cap. The first passenger ships to sport these fixtures were Gibb’s SANTA ROSA quartet of 1932 — 1933, but only their forward stacks were so adorned. The stately AMERICA of 1940 had a pair of them but hers boasted an elliptical ring beneath the fins. A number of United States Lines cargo ships of the 50s and 60s had small sampan funnels but the last passenger ships fitted with them were Gibbs’ SANTA ROSA and SANTA PAULA of 1958, which, in many external respects, were single funneled, diminutive replicas of the UNITED STATES.
Aft funnel, facing up.
Under aft fin.
From every angle, these are awe-inspiring creations. Many UNITED STATES fans feel, quite rightly, that if the stacks could get a fresh coast of red, white and blue paint, inspiring the general public into sharing the dream of her restoration would be much easier.
Bridge Deck
Wheelhouse, facing port.
Wheelhouse window.
Clinometer.
As with the rest of the ship’s interior, the wheelhouse is now just a shell, albeit with a working clinometer. Since most U.S.-built ships featured standardized equipment, replacing the UNITED STATES’ telegraphs and other navigation gear would not be an impossible task. This level of the ship continued aft via open promenades, the chart and radio room and officers’ accommodation.
Aft from starboard wing.
The view aft from the UNITED STATES’ bridge wings is still breathtaking, with those towering, monumental funnels atop her terraced superstructure.
Shelter deck, facing starboard.
SS UNITED STATES, Port Bridge Deck, facing aft.
On Bridge Deck, there is a sheltered games area which must have been very popular during cold or stormy crossings. I recognized a large metal ping pong table from my first visit to the ship in 1984 — it is one of the only original bits of furniture left on board.
Aft from Bridge Deck.
The forward portion of Bridge Deck ends with an open terrace overlooking the former Tourist Class games deck area on Sports Deck.
SS UNITED STATES facing forward from aft funnel base.
Over stern from base of aft funnel.
The aft portion of Bridge Deck was a crew-only terrace surrounding the aft funnel.
Sports Deck
Midships games deck, facing forward.
Deck angles.
Encircled by open promenades, the next level, Sports Deck, housed a handful of passenger cabins in addition to the captain’s suite and officers’ accommodation. The Tourist Class games deck is located on this level between the two funnels.
Sun Deck
Port Sun Deck, facing aft.
Port Sun Deck, facing forward.
Stripped of their aluminum lifeboats and davits, the now completely exposed Sun Deck promenades fully encircle this level of the ship.
Promenade Deck
Fins and Blades.
Aft/starboard Promenade Deck.
The external portion of Promenade Deck is located aft of the enclosed promenades featured in the first part of this report. On either side, one of the ship’s mighty bronze screws now rests. These were removed to prevent drag on the tow back to the U.S. from the Ukraine and Turkey.
Aluminum cap rails.
After forty years, the UNITED STATES’ distinctive aluminum cap rails are still in great condition.
SS UNITED STATES Aft Games Deck.
A slightly elevated games area on aft Promenade Deck was once the domain of Cabin Class.
Upper Deck
Starboard Cabin Class promenade.
The aft portion of Upper Deck began with glass-enclosed promenades that were also reserved for Cabin Class passengers.
Forward from Upper Deck fantail.
Upper Deck stretches all the way aft to the fantail with yet more open deck space dedicated to Cabin Class.
Before wrapping up this part of the story, I’d like to thank watchman Robert Brieschaft for being so helpful and patient while I did my best to capture every enticing angle of the UNITED STATES’ outstanding architecture.
End of SS UNITED STATES Pilgrimage, Part Two: Upper Decks
More to Come…
Very Special Thanks: Mike Alexander, Robert Brieschaft, Martin Cox, Rob Di Stefano, Susan Gibbs, Dan McSweeney
Save The UNITED STATES.org — Your Chance To Make A Difference!
Byron Huart
September 28, 2012 at 1:49 am
Bravo Peter! Bravo! A beautiful documentation of the old ship ,
yet as I can see from my last visit to her pier side she is in need of some TLC.
I just hope in these final months something can be done and a future for her in ensured and nothing falls through , with the SS Emerald / Santa Rosa gone to Alang after being laid up in Greece for years the SS United States is the only survivor of our national maritime heritage , just like the SS France which was the last of her kind build and the last to survive the elements of time.
The reason the ship still exists is divine providence and the public needs to know that if she is lost many years from now we will regret it for decades to come just like now we mourn the Oceanic and the Augustus being lost even FDR mourned the scrapping of Mauritania as an engineering marvel lost , we must not allow this to happen and for Gibbs finest work to be let go.
As seen in your detailed documentation she’s in relatively good condition yet the restoration as I was told would have to be done in stages and sandblasted , her solid construction is the main reason she has lasted as long as she has mothballed compared to other ships in various ghost fleets.
I call the SS United States the ship that has fought and cheated death , for a liner built 60 years ago and mothballed for 40+ she’s valiantly held up against the elements and decay.
Great work on part 1 of your survey and feature , fascinating to see the interiors trapped in time during the 1980′s before she was gutted for asbestos .
All I can say is
I hope that we shall prevail in this mission we cannot afford to lose .
Godspeed to us all.
maurizio
September 28, 2012 at 3:14 am
Hi Peter
Do you think is it possible for the SS united States to be refitted and use her as a cruise ship?
I think it should be cheaper to fix it instead of going to build another one !!!.
It can be a good idea but i know i think it l be very expensive more than to build the new one.
We should ask to Mr.Arison of Carnival cruise
Griff Carey
September 28, 2012 at 5:02 am
Thank you again!!!!!!
I wonder if anyone else looks at their scroll bar to the right of their screen, while reading, hoping that it is moving slowly to the bottom? I always look forward to your blogs and pictures!
Bruce Mitchell
September 28, 2012 at 6:30 am
I remember clearly and fondly my return from an Air Force assignment in Europe aboard United States. A rich experience for a Staff Sergeant – first class in one of the rare single cabins. In many ways I felt out of my class when traveling with people like Robert Taylor (movie star) and the Lord Mayor of London. Arrived in New York on April 15th, 1956. Later realized that it was the same ill-fated cruise time frame as the Titanic decades before. I have treasured the memory of my United States cruise home and pray the day might come she could be restored to the glory I remember.
Michael Ralph
September 28, 2012 at 7:10 am
Wonderful tour of this mighty ship! Many fond memories of her when she was in service… Attended the auction and was fortunate to see her in all her glory then. Today – she looks so sad and forlorn! From her bare bones a mighty new ship and maritime museum could be born. My prayers are with her and to those who have devoted so much time, effort to her survival!
Glenn Paull
September 28, 2012 at 7:15 am
Westbound -March 1968 – standing on aft deck looking forward the funnels with the statue of liberty on port in all her glory was a great sight – only noise was from some steam being vented. Apparently I was the only one that thought so as I was all alone on deck
Kenneth Eden
September 28, 2012 at 8:29 am
The very fact that this ship is stripped to the bare bones could be a bonus, as she can be rennovated inside without having to pay caution to exisiting works of art or detiling, since there are non left. It creates a totally clean slate.
Was the issue of lead paint ever paid attention too? Could be a lot of it left, hull, stacks et cetera.
A weak hommage to this ship – in the city where she was built – one of her propellers greets guests to the Maritime Museum in Newport News, VA. Incidently, this museum is miles from the shipyard of her birth. Thousands pass it daily, and know nothing of what it is, was nor care.
I had long forgotten that I actually did see the SS UNITED STATES in person, back in 1971 while sailing on a three week cruise from Boston to the Caribbean, the ship was the QE2, and stopped in Norfolk to pick up passengers before arriving in the Caribbean.
The SS UNITED STATES sat much like a sentry, in a god forsaken pier along the Elizabeth River, in a pouring rain. Not one mention was made of her as we sailed past. Unfortuneately upon return to Norfolk it was early morning, pitch black, and I could not see her again.
I do hope Miami gets her. Countless thousands will have the priviledge of seeing her as they ready for cruises on their booked ships.
Hank
September 28, 2012 at 10:07 am
Great job Peter! I’m enjoying this wonderful report!!
Mick Collins
September 29, 2012 at 8:05 am
I, too, wholeheartedly agree that the funnels of the United States should be painted, even if roughly, to generate more interest – looking at those funnels as they are, throws some doubt on the whole project, I believe.
Paul Goodwin
October 1, 2012 at 10:40 am
I’m curious– my understanding is that the ships hull is steel, the superstructure aluminum (presenting an engineering challenge joining the two completely different metals of the hull and superstructure). One of the properties of aluminum is, while it can certainly corrode, it cannot rust. Yet I’m seeing an awful lot of what is clearly rust on her upper decks. Any thoughts?
Peter Knego
October 1, 2012 at 10:48 am
I was trying to figure out the rust quotient, as well, and think it is runoff from various metal fittings that are scattered around the upper deck areas. I believe part of NCL’s 2007 structural tests included the aluminum-to-steel joinery and that the ship came through with flying colors. Almost all modern cruise ships have a good deal of aluminum in their superstructure, so this is no longer an exclusive UNITED STATES engineering issue. –Peter
Paul Goodwin
October 1, 2012 at 10:53 am
Maurizio– there are soooo many reasons why restoring the ship to service would be impractical, if not impossible. Well, maybe not impossible but she’d likely look nothing like the ship we know. The main culprit would be SOLAS regulations, the single biggest reason why so many classic liners have ended up at Alang in recent years. Plus, by todays standards she would be a very small cruise ship indeed, with limited accomodation which translates to limited revenues, not an easy sell to the cruise lines.
I agree, paint the darn funnels, sandblast, prime and paint with no doubt easy to find volunteer labor, the cost would be minimal, a few thousand at most, from a public relations standpoint this should have been done already. Give me a brush and a roller!
Jeff Taylor
October 1, 2012 at 12:26 pm
Supposedly William Francis Gibbs insisted on personally checking the steel/aluminum joint every time the US was in NY until he became too ill. Part of his strategy was to make sure the aluminum overlapped the steel so water run-off couldn’t sit and accellerate the electro-chemical reaction. Interestingly, one of the subsequent ships to make use of a predominantly aluminum superstructure was QE2, and by her retirement the aluminum had become highly brittle and a significant maintenance issue due to changes in the crystaline structure of the aluminum–note the number of patches especially around windows if you get close enough to her. Later in her service life she carried a crew member skilled in aluminum welding! Perhaps it was due to US’s short service life, but no such deterioration was noted in her.
Russ Willoughby
October 1, 2012 at 1:18 pm
“Many UNITED STATES fans feel, quite rightly, that if the stacks could get a fresh coast of red, white and blue paint, inspiring the general public into sharing the dream of her restoration would be much easier.”
I agree 100% with this statement. For no one to be on board doing some sort of work seems like a waste of time. I understand that everything takes money, but I for one would be willing to donate a few hundred bucks and a weekend of my time to go out to Philly, scrape the deck, do some painting, etc., if only to make the ship look not so hopeless. Perception is everything, and if people can see activity on board, it might just spark interest in folks who otherwise wouldn’t give her another thought. I’m not saying that things can be fixed in one weekend, but it would be a start.
Dave in NJ
October 1, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Russ Willoughby, I couldn’t agree more with what you say.
Phil C
October 8, 2012 at 7:13 am
She looks to be in excellent condition, and that massive feeling of solidity is present throughout the ships. Thanks for the excellent pics, Peter.
On my only visit to Philadelphia a kindly port worker let me through the gates to get close to the old girl. He saw me looking longingly through the gates and said “oh, so you’re one of those ship guys!” and then took pity on me. Being near the SSUS is to be in the presence of greatness; I’ve never felt the same about being in/on any other ship. It does not matter that the interiors are stripped. If she ever went to war they would have done that; “travelling light” is part of her design, and it makes future use easier.
For me, the SSUS is THE greatest liner. You can take your temperamental Normandies and stunning Italian dames, but for sheer engineering excellence and a brilliantly able aesthetic, the SSUS wins hands down. My dad still tells the story of being on watch as third mate and seeing her disappear of radar off the UK at an unbelievable rate of knots. The old man came up to the bridge and didn’t believe what the young third mate had recorded. “No ship can go that fast!”