Posted on 08/11/2025 2:11:58 PM PDT by Ezekiel
The second 65-foot funnel was removed last Friday from the historic ocean liner in Mobile, Alabama.
The aft funnel aboard the SS United States was removed last Friday in Mobile, Alabama, as another major step in preparing the vessel to become the world’s largest artificial reef, according to Okaloosa County.
• The towering funnels, each standing 65 feet tall and as tall as a six-story building, were removed last week. The remaining propeller was also removed last Friday and loaded on the same barge as the aft funnel.
These items are among many others being preserved to be incorporated in the SS United States Conservancy’s land-based museum.
All of the fuel aboard the vessel has been removed and the tanks are being steam cleaned. A substantial amount of wiring still needs to be removed, according to the county.
• “These steps are being taken to ensure an environmentally safe deployment of the vessel as an artificial reef, which is expected to take place in late 2025,” the county said on Friday.
The 990-foot historic ocean liner is being prepared for deployment off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach. Once deployed, it will surpass the current record holder as the world’s largest artificial reef.
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
Departure from San Diego
US SAN
Actual time of departure:
2025-07-16 08:02 (UTC-7)
Arrival at Mobile
US MOB
Actual time of arrival:
2025-08-03 08:52 (UTC-5)
It’s sad that the government wastes so much money on crap, but can’t find a decent home for this ship, which it paid to build. It still holds the record for the fastest trans-Atlantic crossing. Sad.
A wonderful ocean liner.
Been a fan for decades...sad to see her go like this but I guess it beats the breakers...
My family sailed the SS United States in 1964.
dad was in the army. we had been posted at Ft Ord California. Dad was reassigned to Landstuhl Germany. We drove across country and took the SS United States out of NYC, NY to Bremerhaven Germany.
The accommodations were better than the accommodations on the Darby, which was another ship we used to go from the USA to Germany back in 1957. On that trip we went from Ft Bragg to Strassburg Kassern in Germany.
Landstuhl is still open. Strassburg Kassern was closed down.
Took this ship to Europe. Had a toothache in New York City before boarding. Woke up the third night at sea. Paced the various decks and found not a soul. Returned to cabin with thought that everyone but me had abandoned ship. Still ga=ga from the pills. Finally woke up on fourth day when we entered Southhampton. I’ve heard the chow was top flight.
Not much demand for retired ocean liner tourism. An artificial reef that people will be able to enjoy for generations to come is a much better resting place than sending her to the breakers.
I always love the passenger stories..
Mercy's journey to Mobile [מוביל] : from July 16 - Tisha B'Av.
(Those travel dates look familiar.)
[בלטינית "Dirigo" -- "אני מוביל"]
***
Alabama Shipyard
June 27
Alabama Shipyard LLC, Mobile, Ala., was awarded an $18,734,274 firm-fixed-price contract (N3220525C4014) for a 153-calendar day mid-tern availability(MTA) including drydocking, of Military Sealift Command’s hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19).
Alabama Shipyard will be welcoming the USNS Mercy in July of this year. As one of the Navy’s two hospital ships, the Mercy plays a vital role in providing medical support and humanitarian aid. Based on the West Coast, this will mark the Mercy’s first time visiting Mobile, and we are proud to be part of her journey. We have had the privilege of working on her sister ship, the USNS Comfort, in the past, and we are honored to now welcome the Mercy to Mobile.
That must be quite a memory!
Just a anecdote but I worked for 20 years at this facility. It was Bender Shipbuilding and Repair, then a part of Signal International, became World Marine, then was bought by Modern American Recycling to be a scrapyard and ship repair. Modern American Recycling sold a large part of the yard to Austal, but kept enough to do scrapping. I quit because being a safety manager at a scrap yard is...not pleasant. They are going to scrap the USS Enterprise at this facility.
Yet MERCY is close by. She arrived on Tisha B'Av for repairs.
See photo and marine traffic data in original post.
I wonder what size bolts, and how many, hold the funnel in place? I don’t think I have a socket that large.
Thanks. Lots of history included about the “Big E”.
“It will be an economic boost for Mobile. The city is already reporting a mini-surge in tourism after the liner ss United States arrived at the MARS facility. The liner is being prepared in Mobile for a planned reefing.”
The love boat, exciting and new,
Come aboard, we’re expecting you...
Used to see the SS United States tied up in Norfolk when I was in the Navy. There was no mistaking her funnels. Sad to see her go to the bottom, but it is a more fitting end than being scrapped.
When I was a little kid, my grandpa took me on a tour of that ship at Newport News Shipbuilding, just prior to its commissioning. A sad ending for a beautiful and record-breaking ship.
Desperate times call for desperate puns, so..
Oh wow, the Darby wound up at Newport News Shipyard as a barracks for crew members of ships undergoing overhaul at the shipyard.
This would have been 1983-84 time frame.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.