The Sinking of the S. S. United States

[calmar 23,191]

The SS United States is a retired American ocean liner, and the fastest ship of this type to ever cross the Atlantic Ocean in either direction, earning the Blue Riband for the highest average speed during her maiden voyage in 1952. She made the journey from the USA to Britain in 3 and a half days, at roughly 56 km/h (35 mph.)

Due to the rise of the jet age, United States was pulled out of service without warning in 1969, and has spent most of the last 57 years rotting away. 29 of those years were in Philadelphia.

In 2024, the ship was kicked out of its pier in Philadelphia due to a rent dispute. As there were not funds enough to save or refurbish the ship, she is currently being sunk off of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida, to become the world's largest artificial reef. It's at least a fate better than being scrapped entirely.

The slow, controlled sinking of the ship is currently being livestreamed here:

 

[hamartia 3,703]

I get that sunken ship reefs are a thing, but abandoning a a big piece of junk in the ocean and saying it's good for the environment is crazy lol 

[RochesterJoannster 4,325]

The ship was built too late in 1952. It only got to be successful for a few years before jets became the primary way to cross the Atlantic. I wish it got to be a museum/hotel like Queen Mary, but that has its own problems as well.

Edited Thursday at 12:58 AM by RochesterJoannster

[calmar 23,191]

7 minutes ago, RochesterJoannster said:

The ship was built too late in 1952. It only got to be successful for a few years before jets became the primary way to cross the Atlantic. I wish it got to be a museum/hotel like Queen Mary, but that has its own problems as well.

Yeah. I'm glad Long Beach/LA pulled its act together before they also lost the Queen Mary post-covid. 

I did get to stay on the Queen Mary for a few days in 2007. Made my Titanic-obsessed inner child super duper happy, especially knowing the QM was longer than the Titanic. 

[peggyhill 2,336]

Its giving sexy titanic

[calmar 23,191]

The SS United States sank at exactly 9:00:00pm local time, after staying afloat for like seven hours instead of the anticipated 45 minutes. The ship really wanted a final sunset - Veterans' Day of America's 250th year.

Unfortunately, she developed a dramatic list to port (the left) fifteen minutes before she sank. That's an issue, because Destin-Fort Walton Beach wanted to make money off of the ship being a good diving site, which requires a right-side up ship. (Ships on their sides are more dangerous to explore.) But it did mean the last shot of her was her keeping her nameplate for dead last, and we love a ship sinking on her own terms and saying her own name as an exit line.

RIP, 1952 - 2026

[Helxig 46,095]

Oh I thought you were making a metaphor about their country and I was like "yeah, it sure is"  

[RochesterJoannster 4,325]

12 hours ago, calmar said:

Yeah. I'm glad Long Beach/LA pulled its act together before they also lost the Queen Mary post-covid. 

I did get to stay on the Queen Mary for a few days in 2007. Made my Titanic-obsessed inner child super duper happy, especially knowing the QM was longer than the Titanic. 

Titanic was part of my obsession too, but Queen Mary’s sister ship, Queen Elizabeth, burned and capsized in the 1970’s, and the wreck was featured in a James Bond movie, and I was into James Bond as a kid. So I’ve had a few reasons to want to see the Queen Mary, but idk if I ever will 🤷🏻‍♀️

[calmar 23,191]

8 hours ago, RochesterJoannster said:

Titanic was part of my obsession too, but Queen Mary’s sister ship, Queen Elizabeth, burned and capsized in the 1970’s, and the wreck was featured in a James Bond movie, and I was into James Bond as a kid. So I’ve had a few reasons to want to see the Queen Mary, but idk if I ever will 🤷🏻‍♀️

I really hope you get to! It's super cool. I remember being in the hallways and seeing the bend in the ship visible which I thought was neat, and weird. They might have "fixed" that though as part of their renovations/upkeep, though.