I sailed to Southampton on the Big U in 1963 three days after the then Hapag-Lloyd ship “Bremen” did, and in a day and a half, we were passing her at sea. The captains of each ship thoroughly enjoyed the moment. You could truly feel her immense speed under your feet – she was the epitome of the nation at that time, our very best at peace.My dad, William A. Winchell, was assigned Port Authority officer for the U.S. Army in Southampton. After two years, he returned to the United States while coordinating Army personnel disembarking from the Big U.Someone at U.S. Lines gave him a rare metal model of the ship on a green jade base with her name engraved as a present acknowledging his successful participation. At some point the model, as well as his photos of the ship and the menus he saved, will come to me. I’ll be happy if they can find a place aboard her…-- Jim Winchell, who sailed from New York to Southampton in 1963, and from Southampton to New York in 1965.
Transmission 26: Jean Garrett
I remember standing on the banks of the James River in Newport News and seeing the SS United States all lit up from bow to stern. I’ll never forget it. My father, Channing Cole, helped to build this great ship.I can’t remember what his title was then, or what his specific job was, but like thousands of other shipyard workers, he worked to construct the SS United States. My dad started out in Newport News shipbuilding at age seventeen and rose through the ranks until the day he retired. I remember him telling me and my brother that he had engraved our names on the bow of the SS United States. We were so proud; we went to school and boasted about it. Our boasting ended quickly when all our friends told us their dads had done the same thing! I can only imagine how many names were engraved into her hull before she was painted.My father would take us in the car down to the dry dock from time to time to see how construction of the ship was progressing. When she was completed, he went on her sea trials, as he did with many ships he helped to build. His trial trips usually lasted a week or more, and we always a party to welcome him when he arrived home. He brought a dining room menu back from the SS United States’ trials – I still have it tucked away in the pages of our family Bible.-- Jean Garrett, daughter of Newport News shipyard worker Channing Cole
Transmission 25: Inga Bowyer
My father was a US Air Force Sergeant assigned to Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico. Family housing on the base was not yet ready for us, so we were headed to Germany to stay with my grandparents while our home in Puerto Rico was built.My mother told me that our cabin steward was especially attentive to her and her little brood of four kids all age 5 and under. She was also about two months pregnant at the time!I don’t remember much about the voyage myself, but I seem to recall having French toast for breakfast one morning. My favorite memory from the journey was the gala party! I remember my delight at getting a fancy paper hat to wear.Even though I was only five years old, and have only a few memories from my time on the SS United States, I feel privileged to have sailed aboard this great ship.-- Inga Bowyer (née Abbondandolo), who sailed on the SS United States in February of 1953 with her mother Hildegard, younger sisters Regina and Diana, and younger brother Michael.