The historic ocean liner SS United States headed for the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday afternoon, after days of final preparation and an assembly of news media and spectators.
Anchored onsite 22 miles off Florida’s Destin-Fort Walton Beach coast, the 990’x101’ vessel christened in 1952 will become what’s billed as the world’s largest artificial reef, an attraction for recreational fishing and diving off the Panhandle.
Remarkable in its day for the builders’ use of aluminum to save weight, the SS United States set a record for its inaugural Atlantic crossing in July 1952 with average speed of 35.6 knots and a maximum speed of 38.32 knots, beating by 10 hours a previous record set by the British line Queen Mary.
For years after the United States was a preferred ride of celebrities and well-to-do Americans, until the costs of trans-Atlantic travel met the speed and efficiencies of the passenger jet age. After its retirement in 1969 the liner was laid up; in years to come various proposals to restore it as a cruise ship, mixed-use harbor hotel and shopping mall all came to naught.
For 26 years the ship languished at a pier in Philadelphia, until finally increasing fees helped lead the non-profit SS United States Conservancy into a partnership with Okaloosa County in Florida. With county sponsorship the conservancy’s goal of a museum dedicated to the SS United States’ place in maritime history will take shape on land – complete with two of the liner’s distinctive funnels preserved in its architectural skyline.
