"Made in USA" Faces Stiff Headwinds, but the SS United States Was a High Watermark
Over the last two decades, manufacturing in the United States has declined and the nation has lost nearly one out of four of its factories. As this Reuters story explains, manufactured goods are increasingly imported from overseas where costs of production are less and robots will increasingly replace low-skilled workers on factory floors.
There were no robots working on the SS United States! Her crew of over 1,000 included the commanding officer to yeomen; 48 engineers, 2 dozen musicians, 5 bartenders, 2 tailors, and 18 "Able Seamen."
She was built completely in the USA. Her parts and components and interiors and artwork hailed from every state in the nation. 725 companies such as IBM, Westinghouse, and Alcoa contributed to equip the fastest, most powerful and safest ship the world has ever seen. The quality of their work helps explain why America's Flagship remains afloat and structurally sound to this day.
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Photo courtesy of Chester Kishel, Jr.
