Gazettes.com: "SS United States Deserves Brotherly Love"
She may not be in service, but the dream of America's Flagship is very much alive-- as is her ability to fascinate and inspire. We highly recommend reading personal story of one columnist's trip to Philadelphia to visit the Big U.
From Jo Murray of Gazettes.com in Long Beach, California, as part of the ongoing "On the Water" series:
"I like to think of the famous ship, with the nickname the Big U, as the younger American cousin to our own British Queen Mary. Both ships were built for transatlantic travel and each held speed records for crossing. By the late 1960s, Boeing’s 747 had made its first flight and the market for transatlantic travel by ship had dwindled.
These seagoing cousins each played key roles in history and continue to hold a place in our hearts. While many are familiar with Cunard Lines Queen Mary’s history since her 1967 arrival in Long Beach after serving 31 years at sea, the SS United States retirement years have not been easy.
After a short 17 years of sailing, SS United States was forced into retirement. The shipping line withdrew her from service during her annual overall in 1969, leaving the ship docked at the port. That was the last year that people like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor would stroll her decks laughing, John Wayne would visit the navigation bridge or Kim Novak would strike a pose while playing shuffleboard..."
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