The Legacy Project is an on-going initiative aimed at collecting, preserving, and archiving photographs, visual materials, and the stories related to passengers and crew who traveled in, helped build, and/or served aboard our nation’s flagship, the SS United States. For more information, visit our website. Want to share your story? Email us at info@ssusc.org.WRITTEN BY: William Newell “Pete” GuildBack in June of 1953, my mother, Mary Newell Guild, and her father, William Stark “Pete” Newell, sailed aboard the SS United States from the UK back to New York Harbor. My father, Eastham “Bud” Guild, and I met the ship alongside the dock upon her arrival. My mother and her dad had previously sailed to England aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth to attend the coronation of the new Queen Elizabeth.My grandfather, Pete Newell, was the founder (in 1927), and president, of the Bath Iron Works Corporation in Bath, Maine. He was also a long-time close, personal, and professional friend of William Francis Gibbs, the famed designer of the SS United States.
Pete Newell’s shipyard and Gibbs’ firm, Gibbs & Cox, had worked closely together, especially before, during and after World War II when Gibbs & Cox provided the Iron Works with numerous designs and engineering for scores of destroyers the shipyard built as part of the war effort. I also have vivid memories of Mr. Gibbs visiting my grandfather in Bath, Maine; he was driven by his New York City chauffeur in a car that actually had a phone installed inside, but of course it didn’t work in Maine!
The Legacy Project: Love, SS United States Style
The Legacy Project is an on-going initiative aimed at collecting, preserving, and archiving photographs, visual materials, and the stories related to passengers and crew who traveled in, helped build, and/or served aboard our nation’s flagship, the SS United States. For more information, visit our website. Want to share your story? Email us at info@ssusc.org.
In 1955 artist David Henning Larson greeted his bride-to-be, Carole Hill, as she arrived from England aboard the SS United States. David and Carole Larson were married 50 years until his death in 2007. Carole still resides in Maine where the couple had lived for over 35 years. A large collection of David's paintings are on permanent display at the Larson Studio & Gallery at South Penobscot, Maine. (Update: The Larson Studio & Gallery is now closed, for more information on where you can see David's work, visit the Larson Studio website.)The photo above was taken by David's father, renowned NYC-based photographer, Frank Oscar Larson. Thanks for Frank's eye (and lens), such casual moments in American history have been captured.Special thanks to Carole and David's son, Soren for sharing his grandfather's photo, and to Paul Stipkovich for producing this lovely story.
The Legacy Project: Brenda Llanas
The Legacy Project is an on-going initiative aimed at collecting, preserving, and archiving photographs, visual materials, and the stories related to passengers and crew who traveled in, helped build, and/or served aboard our nation’s flagship, the SS United States. For more information, visit our website. Want to share your story? Email us at info@ssusc.org. In August of 1966, Brenda Llanas embarked on a voyage aboard the SS United States from New York harbor to Le Havre, France and Southampton, England. As the American shore disappeared on the horizon, Brenda was captivated by the ship’s powerful wake—the imagery of the gentle, rolling waves was forever imprinted on her memory.
She also recollects with no small amount of excitement that “unknown to most people on board the ship, Jimmy Stewart was on board!” Brenda discovered this Hollywood star aboard the United States while roaming the ship and observing her fellow passengers—one of her favorite cruising past times.To this day, Brenda vividly recalls the ever-shrinking New York City skyline as she sailed towards Europe. When recalling her trip aboard “America’s Flagship,” she is immediately flooded with feelings of happiness and joy. Brenda is hopeful that the SS United States will be saved and continue to create such powerful memories for generations to come.