n At her berth in Philadelphia since 1996, united States awaits a certain plan for her future. – Photo courtesy Big Ship Films. 12 • winter 2012 PowerShips THE SS UNITED STATES: T HE L AST Q UEEN OF THE U.S. MERCHANT M ARINE P ART T HREE by Larry Driscoll N SEPTEMBER 1958 THE UNITED STATES LOGGED HER MILLIONTH MILE. then, just two days later, her eastbound crossing with 1,100 passengers had to be canceled because of a labor dispute with the master, mates and Pilots union. this would be the frst of many disruptive strikes that left passengers stranded. in 1960, the u.S. government canceled the contract to carry military dependents. in 1961, the line fell victim to a paralyzing strike, fully shutting the ship down. then came jets, and ships’ bookings everywhere began to slide as more travelers switched to the new Pan Am and twA boeing 707 jetliners. www.powerships.com winter 2012 • 13 14 • winter 2012 PowerShips DESPITE THE DIFFICULTIES UNITED STATES Lines CeO John franklin’s affection and loyalty for his two ocean liners continued strong, and he spared no expense keeping both the America and the United States in superb operating condition. the sailing experience remained memorable, with delicious cuisine including iranian caviar, Scottish grouse, tender texas steaks and vintage wines from france. the service continued to be polished, friendly and prompt, provided by a crew that was proud of its ship. UNITED STATES LINES went out of its way to keep passengers happy. A good example involved a new mercedes benz being loaded in bremerhaven. the owner watched as his new car slipped out of the lifting harness and hit the ground, smashed like an egg. united States Lines contacted mercedes, and an identical model in the same color was found and rushed to Le Havre in time to catch the ship before she left for New York. BY THE EARLY 1960S mounting losses on passenger operations were draining cash needed to modernize the company’s freighters. Pressure on franklin to unload his passenger ships increased and he reluc- tantly agreed to sell the America in 1964. Going Cruising IN 1962 CRUISES TO THE CARIBBEAN WERE introduced to offset declining North Atlantic revenue. A canvas swimming pool was jury rigged on the aft deck and two ice cream machines were added on the Promenade deck. Company advertisements promoted the ship’s speed, making it possible for passengers to spend more time in port. this, however, required a cruising speed of 27 knots that, combined with oncoming trade winds, resulted in wind gusts up to 50 knots. Passengers were unable to go out on deck and the wind blew the water out of the pool. future cruises were made at a more n Each year the united States returned to the Newport News shipyard for her annual overhaul. Here moderate pace. she is docked next to feet mate America. Two United States Lines freighters with their distinctive red, SHIPPING ANALYSTS BELIEVED the United white, and blue funnels, can also be seen in the yard. – Newport News Shipbuilding photo. States should have been laid up when the America was sold; however franklin’s emotional attachment was too great www.powerships.com winter 2012 • 15 S.S. United States: Partial Deck Plan n These deck plans were published in a promotional brochure at the height of the united States’ career. Other plans from this source may be found in PowerShips #278, Summer 2011 – Jack Shaum Collection. 16 • winter 2012 PowerShips www.powerships.com winter 2012 • 17 n The united States stops in Capetown, South Africa, during a cruise. – Jack Shaum Collection. n Four years after being laid up, the United States shows only scattered signs of rust as she lies at a pier at Norfolk International Terminals in Virginia. – Jack Shaum photo. 18 • winter 2012 PowerShips for him to make such a drastic move.1 As offcers on the bridge, they He became chairman of the board of once had the privilege of ordering united States Lines and in keeping with anything they wanted to eat while the tradition of family control turned the on watch. they now prepared their presidency over to his son-in-law william own lunch with canned goods from rand. unfortunately for the company, the pantry. rand’s marriage to franklin’s daughter “WE HAD A LOT of very expensive ended in divorce, and rand was forced canned smoked oysters and lobster. out in 1966. when franklin retired in we warmed them on the hot plate, 1967, the United States lost a powerful added crackers and ate lunch,” supporter. without strong leadership the tucker recalled. water came from a company struggled to make the industry’s single garden hose and shipyard work- transition to new container ships. ers took advantage of the bathroom facilities. tucker, who used to entertain New Ownership the Duke of windsor on the bridge, for U.S. Lines was left with cleaning up. “Johnny IN 1968, THE FAMILY WAS OUT. IN A surprise Logue and i had to clean them out. i takeover bid, walter Kidde Company, often thought to myself, if the Duke of a manufacturer of fre safety devices, windsor could see me now!” he said. acquired united States Lines. the new unsentimental management team had n A 55-day Grand Pacifc Cruise set for no use for a ship losing $4.8 million a 1970 was among the voyages cancelled when year. On the morning of November 7, the United States was laid up in 1969. 1969, America’s fagship and the pride – Jack Shaum Collection. of the u.S. merchant marine docked at Pier 86 for the last time. that evening, she departed for what was to become a New Owners permanent layup at Newport News. and New Plans A UNITED STATES LINES news release IN FEBRUARY 1973 THE U.S. MARITIME disclosed the layup when it announced Administration purchased the ship from that four voyages—a Grand Pacifc united States Lines for $4.6 million. Cruise, Christmas Cruise and two the morning of September 6, Preserved for future troopship use, transatlantic voyages—would be cancelled. 1967, after a long illness. He was 81 she continued to be maintained by “THE COMPANY said that the years old. On September 7, his ship an engineering staff. to preserve her cancellations could mean the end of sailed outbound past his offce with interiors 13 large dehumidifers were operations for ‘the greatest and fastest Commodore Leroy Alexanderson installed. unfortunately the government ship ever to have fown the American on the port wing of the bridge. the soon lost interest and in 1978 sold the fag,” it stated. “As a result, the vessel, ship’s ensign futtered at half-mast, the ship for $5 million to richard Hadley, a which is presently undergoing its annual commodore raised his arm in salute, and Seattle-based real estate developer and overhaul, will remain in a lay-up status as he dropped it the United States saluted entrepreneur with no experience in the indefnitely.” with three-blasts from her horn. shipping business. Hadley planned to UNITED STATES LINES said the decision invest another $35 million and start a was made “with great regret” and closed Hope and Despair cruise operation between Los Angeles and the news release with the statement that IN LAY-UP AT NEWPORT NEWS SHE RECEIVED the Hawaiian islands. its president “expressed the hope that good care, watched over by her former HIS PLANS, HOWEVER, never got off somehow a solution will be found so that offcers including executive Offcer and the ground and the ship began her slow the S.S. United States will soon return to relief Captain John tucker and Chief heartbreaking slide. the dehumidifying an operating status,” a hope that was engineer John Logue. “we kept the lights system installed to prevent interior rot never realized. going as long as we had bulbs, including was removed. then slipshod salvage WILLIAM FRANCIS GIBBS, designer the stack lights. it was a lot of make-work crews smashed hundreds of toilets and of the United States, would not live to projects,” said tucker, who recalls making sinks to obtain traps and piping. Despite witness this sad moment; he died on searches through the ship for silverware. sales contract maintenance guarantees www.powerships.com winter 2012 • 19 the maritime Administration stood by as the ship deteriorated. in October 1984 she was stripped and her contents sold at auction. further indignities included What Might Have Been eviction and eventual seizure by u.S. marshals for unpaid docking fees. IN APRIL OF 1992 the United States was sold on the courthouse steps in Newport News, Virginia, for $2.6 million to marmara marine. Plans included moving the ship to a turkish shipyard for a 36-month, $140 million refurbishing into a cruise ship. towed to turkey in June 1992 for retroftting, she was soon enveloped in controversy over her asbestos content. Local labor leaders refused to provide the required workforce once she was labeled as “the ship of death” by turkish media and n (Above) A model of the united States as she might have looked had United States Cruises of Seattle been able to modernize her for cruise service. – Ed Antin Studios. (Bottom) This projected profle issued in 1982 by United States Cruises, Inc. of Seattle of a rebuilt united States with a modernized superstructure makes an interesting comparison with her 1952 profle – Jack Shaum Collection. 20 • winter 2012 PowerShips a “grave health threat” by Greenpeace. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) purchased Hawaiian market and around three the next port was Sevastopol, ukraine, the ship in April 2003 and announced quarters of a million dollars annually in where in 1994 she was stripped of asbestos plans for the eventual integration of the docking fees, NCL put the 60-year-old and the majority of the interior bulkheads ship into NCL’s Hawaiian operations liner up for sale.