Opportunity Beckons for the SS United States
The Empire State VI -- the training ship at the State University of New York's Maritime College -- will soon be decommissioned, and SUNY Maritime will need a state-of-the-art replacement. The New York Times explores the story, but neglects to mention a possible solution: Could the SS United States play a role? Could the nation's maritime history be preserved in service of training a new generation of merchant mariners?
All three United States Lines commodores were Fort Schuyler grads, including longest-serving captain John Anderson (pictured), Harry Manning, who also achieved fame as Amelia Earhart's navigator, and Leroy Alexanderson, whose commitment to cleanliness and order gave him the nickname "Ajax."
The Conservancy was delighted to provide a tour of the SS United States to a delegation of Fort Schuyler students last fall. The grandeur and power of America's Flagship appeals to all generations: with your help, we can save the SS United States.
