"Bomb Cyclone" No Match for America's Flagship

January 23, 2018

The Conservancy would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the many generous supporters who contributed to our 2017 Annual Appeal.

Your backing at this time is crucial, and will be directly applied to the Conservancy’s many programs, including the vessel's upkeep and preservation , educational outreach, museum planning and curatorial initiatives . Thanks to you, the SS United States currently remains safely afloat, reminding us all of what can be accomplished when we join arm-in-arm to advance common goals.

As we upgrade our internal systems, we have experienced some minor delays in mailing out formal donor acknowledgments to our generous supporters, and we thank you for your patience at this busy time.

Ice surrounds the SS United States on the Delaware River. Photograph courtesy of Michael Wolfe.

Those who contributed at the SS United States Benefactor level or above can also look forward to receiving a special expression of our appreciation: a small print of artist Theodore C. Ewen's beautiful painting, " Moonlight on the North Atlantic ."

Whether you renewed your Conservancy membership for another year, or made a donation for the very first time, you are now an important part of the Big U's incredible story . We remain profoundly grateful for your support.

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Help Us Save America's Flagship!

Stormy Weather No Match for the Unparalleled Design and Engineering of the SS United States

Photographer Thomas Stevens recently shared this fantastic photograph with us of the Big U looking truly majestic in the midst of a win ter snowstorm.

Was your town or city impacted by the "bomb cyclone" earlier this month?

When bad weather strikes, there's no need to worry about America's Flagship. The Conservancy's incredible partners at Atlantic Logistics are experts at keeping her safe and secure at her Philadelphia pier!

"She should be saved, because she is a symbol of the strength and endurance that our country represents.”

— Former passenger Dottie Matthews Waterreus, Orem, UT

Check out January's History Highlights

from the "We Are the United States " Blog

The Anniversary of the SS United States ' First Arrival in Bremerhaven, Germany

Photograph courtesy of Charles Anderson.

On January 3rd, 1953, the SS United States arrived in Bremerhaven for the first time. She was carrying 617 passengers, most of them American military personnel and their families.

In his welcome address, Acting U.S. High Commissioner for Germany Samuel Reber emphasized the importance of cooperation between Germany and America during a time of Cold War tension. He said of the Big U's military passengers:

"These men have come, not as part of an army dominating foreign territory, but as members of a defense force needed to maintain a strong position in the face of the Communist might in the East and to preserve the peace."

Read the full blog

Onboard Memories:

The McPherson Family's Voyage to France

Photograph courtesy of Rosalyn McPherson.

The Conservancy's Legacy Project aims to preserve the unforgettable stories of the passengers and cr ew members who traveled aboard the SS United States .

Captain James McPherson and his wife, Lillie, sailed with their family from Manhattan to France in 1958. At a time when segregation remained a painful reality in their home state of Louisiana, they recall being treated exactly the same as their fellow passengers on board.

Daughter Rosalyn remembers particularly enjoying the swimming pool on the voyage. “You know that would never have happened in New Orleans.”

Read the full blog

Remembering the SS United States ' Running Mate, the SS America

Designed by Gibbs & Cox and launched in 1939, the SS America was the elegant precursor to America's Flagship, the SS United States.

A ship of many lives, she was called into service during the Second World War and served honorably as one of the Navy's most prolific troop ships before her refurbishment and return to United States Lines.

Photograph courtesy of Katherine Fairhead.

After a successful post-war transatlantic career, the “Queen of the American Merchant Marine” was retired in 1964. At that point, the SS America passed between several owners, undergoing a series of name changes.

On January 17th, 1994, now the SS American Star, she broke free of her lines while under tow for Thailand and was was set adrift, wrecking the next day off the coast of the Canary Islands. Resting on a sandbar, the once-proud vessel was ultimately broken apart by the surf.

The loss of the SS America must serve as a warnin g — we cannot neglect our maritime history. Together, we must ensure that America's Flagship has a more dignified future.

“I am honored to support the Conservancy as a steadfast guardian of such an important moment in our nation's history.”

— Steve Williams, Revere, MA