Our year-long celebration of the 70th anniversary of the SS United States’ triumphant maiden voyage has been inspiring and energizing. We’ve been overwhelmed by the outpouring of expressions of support and inspiration by people young and old, from around the world. Back in July, we received a number of stylish submissions for our “70th Anniversary T-Shirt Contest.” Along with our winning submission by Riley Bugg, we received striking designs from Ashley Latrella, Jackie Parks and Stephen Bloom. (CLICK HERE to order one of our 70th anniversary t-shirts.)
Our team also been galvanized by the those who have found inspiration in America’s Flagship and submitted entries to our “70th Anniversary Writing Contest.” We received almost 50 wonderful submissions from people who immigrated aboard the ship or encountered her during her heyday, as well as those who have only known the vessel since her retirement. We have been deeply moved by the words of supporters of all ages who have been captivated by the story of the SS United States.
We are pleased to announce that we’ve selected two winners - Angela Harrison Eng and Julian Sukel. Their respective submission can be found below.
We were energized and inspired by the number of eloquent submissions from former passengers, including some who immigrated to America aboard the SS United States as well as from family members of former passengers and crew members. To celebrate these unique connections to our flagship, we will be planning a special ship visit and event in the spring. We will be sharing further details on this plans in the coming weeks.
In the coming months, we will also be announcing a second creative writing contest that will give supporters another opportunity to share their reflections on the SS United States. (All current submissions will be automatically entered in our next contest.) Stay tuned for more details.
Thank you again to everyone who participated in this unique contest. Your passion for the SS United States motivates us to find new and exciting ways to celebrate our nation’s flagship, and helps us tell her story.
“A Monument to a Time I’d Never Know: The SS United States”
By Angela Harrison Eng
The SS United States was moored at the Norfolk International Terminal ten years before I was born. I grew up in Virginia Beach, and many of my childhood memories involve my dad’s small boat, which he kept in dry dock at Norfolk’s Willoughby Spit. On the weekends, we’d often take the boat to go fish or swim in the bay nearby. My favorite trips, however, involved passing the Norfolk Terminal to visit Waterside. I loved those trips because we had to pass the SS United States to get there. As a kid, I felt that the giant, beautiful ship was a mystery. I’d asked my dad about it, but he said it was a retired passenger liner—nothing terribly mysterious. Yet every time we passed the ship on the way somewhere else, I wanted nothing more than to see what was inside. I wanted to touch and explore it. There was something about a locked up, abandoned ship that put my imagination into overdrive. Eventually, I was able to talk my dad into taking our boat closer to the ship when we went out. I have a memory, clear as crystal, of looking up when we were alongside the ship once and seeing plants growing out of the lifeboats near the top. We’d never get close enough to see inside the portholes, but I imagined being able to look inside and seeing pristine rooms with carpeted flooring and lined bedspreads. I dreamed of walking on the deck and looking upwards to see the red and blue funnels silhouetted against the sky. I was 11 when the ship was sold and towed to Turkey, and 15 when it returned. I’ve seen it in Philadelphia as an adult, and since I live near Washington, D.C. now, I visit the Smithsonian Museum of American History to see The Currents mural and other small artifacts, like luggage tags and dinner plates. It somehow brings me closer to the ship—one that was decommissioned before I was born yet remains in my imagination as a monument to a time I’d never know. I’m just short of 42 now, and one of my biggest wishes is to see the ship be a monument just for me, but for everyone like me—those who want to see and experience the ship’s glory days through living history.
“An American Icon”
By Julian Sukel
For as long as I can remember, ocean liners have been a major interest to me. From the time I was in elementary school, I was fascinated by the Titanic and the Olympic Class, and that interest eventually spread to all ocean liners. Today, as an adult, I express that interest by collecting memorabilia which I share on my Instagram, @golden_age_of_ocean_liners. The SS United States has always been one of my favorite liners; the story of her inception and the work and passion of William Francis Gibbs that went into creating such a technologically revolutionary ship, and then her tragic demise and neglect strikes a chord with me. Not only is she the fastest ocean liner afloat, but she was also an engineering marvel and incredibly stylish. How could a ship that was so beloved by all, that carried the rich and famous but was also adored by families, be left to rot as she has? She carried everyone from movie stars and famous politicians to legend of the LGBT+ community, Christine Jorgensen. She was an icon in American culture, appearing in movies, magazines, and was a household name; everybody knew and was proud of the “Big U.” The SS United States still has many forgotten stories to tell, and that’s why she desperately needs to be saved. It has been a long-time dream of mine to go on board an actual ocean liner from the golden age. I don’t think I would ever forget taking a tour of the SS United States, because even in her empty condition, she is still full of the life and memories of her decades past at sea. The “Big U” is a survivor, and I hope someday she’ll be restored to her former glory so that people will be able to experience her marvelous history.
*Note: Submissions edited for clarity and brevity.