The SS United States, America’s Flagship, arrived in Mobile, Alabama today after an approximately 1,800-mile tow from her berth in Philadelphia. The iconic national symbol and last surviving American ocean liner will now undergo preparations for her deployment as the “World’s Largest Artificial Reef” off Florida’s Gulf Coast near Destin-Fort Walton Beach.
“Today, the nation’s sole surviving ocean liner will glide down the Delaware River to begin the next chapter in her uniquely American story. As the fastest ship to ever cross the Atlantic travels for the first time since arriving in Philadelphia in 1996, we are reminded of the postwar high-water mark that the SS United States so gracefully and powerfully embodied when she was launched in 1951.”
Today, America’s Flagship is in grave danger. Without notice, the vessel’s landlord, which leases the pier from the Port of Philadelphia, doubled the ship’s docking fee during the pandemic. Then they issued an eviction order. This is why our elected leaders need to act now. Budgets are about priorities.
Philadelphia is home to many symbols that represent the heart of our nation, from Independence Hall to the Liberty Bell. In 1996, the city welcomed yet another iconic symbol of America’s unconquerable spirit. Rising above Pier 82 in South Philadelphia, “America’s Flagship,” the SS United States, has become a beacon of hope that gathers people together to appreciate its amazing story.
Door: Cees de Keijzer / Beeld: Archief World Ship Society Rotterdam
nI de gouden tijd van de oceanstomers was de Blauwe Wimpel en felbegeerde trofee, die trots werd gevoerd door het passagiersschip dat de trans-Atlantische overtocht het snelst aflegde. nI juli 1952 werd het record voor het laatst verbeterd en kwam de wimpel ni handen van het s United States, ok bekendstaand als The Big U.
