Linda’s Monthly Monday Morning Moaning’s for September 1, 2025
Some months ago, I wrote about the SS United States, the liner often called ‘America’s Liner’, when she was towed from her berth at Pier 80 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Mobile, Alabama in February of 2025, where she had been waiting for 30 some years. I have followed this ship for many years, with the ships manifest, memorabilia and photographic images, because it was on this ship my parents and I immigrated to this country from Great Britain in the mid 1950’s. She was the ‘Queen of the American’ fleet of liners during her time between 1954 and 1969, until air flights took the place of ships moving people from continent to continent.
As she will become, the world’s largest artificial reef, the story of the ‘SSUS’ will be told to thousands of divers from around the world as they explore her unique design and features. She will also benefit the surrounding ecosystem and become home to countless marine species that will thrive from the presence of her structure. A land based museum will be built to teach the many students, and general public about William Gibbs, an American Navel Architect and his creation. The winner of the Blue Riband, for the fastest transatlantic passenger crossing between Britain and the United States, she would continue to hold that title.
This article today is about the removal of the smoke stacks (funnels) that will be used as a part of the land based museum. For the present time the ship is docked in Mobile, Alabama. Her story will continue but in another form and in a different way.
Moving the last stack by barge.
The Queen without her iconic stacks.
Now she waits, her propeller, while having been removed and placed on her deck 30 years ago, will be stored along with her funnels. Her fuel tanks, are sterilized and anything harmful to marine life and the surrounding water is cleaned and made safe, she will then be moved out to sea, to become the world’s largest artificial reef.
Thank you to the SS United States Conservancy, for the updates and images and all they have done over these last many years, to find a new home and salvage her history for further study and enjoyment.
On that ‘wee note’ till next month, Monday, October 6, 2025.
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Linda Osborne Cynowa 