Posted on 10/25/2026 8:36:32 AM PDT by DFG
History lovers are outraged after government officials approved the sinking of a historic American flagship that was once hailed as the country's fastest ocean liner.
The SS United States first hit the waters in 1952 and carried American icons like former President John F Kennedy, Walt Disney, Debbie Reynolds and Marlon Brando. The ship also appears in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, starring Marilyn Monroe, and West Side Story.
In 1969, the ship was retired to the US Navy, where it sat until 1978. The ocean liner has passed through multiple hands since, but was never given a second act.
The SS United States will now make its last voyage in November, when officials plan to sink it and convert it into the world's largest artificial reef.
The Board of County Commissioners in Destin, Florida, announced that the ship has been fully remediated and the Army Corps of Engineers has scheduled the SS United States' final deployment.
The vessel will deploy in the Gulf southwest of Destin-Walton Beach on the second week of November and later open for diving tours.
Although its fate seems sealed, a coalition has continued to fight to save the ship from sinking.
The NY Coalition to save the SS United States called the dismantling of the ship 'a slap in the face to the countless citizens - across all 50 states and around the world.'
'Those who cherish the SS United States and continue to fight for her future as a preserved, floating landmark and symbol of American excellence, innovation, and pride.'
'SHAME on anyone who conspired in silence against the will of We the People,' the coalition said.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.com ...
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From the photo it doesn’t appear the outraged history lovers supported the upkeep of the ship very well.
They can still visit it at the bottom of the Gulf.
A good honest attempt was made to save this ship but at didn’t work.
Sweet if you like diving wrecks. Not to mention the sea life being drawn to it.
Not sure why the activists are just now expressing outrage. The plan has been in the works for many years, and was approved a couple of years ago.
The stripping of the ship should be about complete, so it would have to be completely re-built to serve as a museum ship. The ship has been rusting out for close to 50 years. No one has actually come up with money to do anything with it in that time. At this point, it’s either going to be an artificial reef for fish, or cut apart and melted down.
Although the coalition acknowledged that reefing is a common practice with old ships, they argued that the SS United States could contaminate the water with carcinogens because of its size and age.
The coalition also launched an online petition to save the ship, which received over 16,000 signatures.
We can’t keep everything. If we did the country would start to look like my barns.
If Debbie Reynolds sailed on her, it’s worth saving. /s
I remember her well. Dad built a scale model of the SS U.S. that sat on top of the TV for years while I was growing up.
Its too bad we cant sink other stuff like old cars, trucks to make more reefs, it takes the pressure off coral reefs and other live organisms and creates even more fishng and diving resources.
heres one off NC 
Piss on all of them. No one gives a damn what they say.
One wonders how much of their own personal wealth those “outraged” coalitions put up to keep her afloat and in good condition….
They probably want the Taxpayers to pay for it.
She WAS a beauty, though, back in her day
Its fake media outrage
The SS United States sat rusting in Philadelphia harbor for 20 years while private groups attempted to raise money to save her, at least as a museum
there was now action or “outrage” then.
Seeing her condition, would it not be be fitting if they invite obama and Mamdami to flip the switch sinking her.
Then they could play the Muslim call to prayer.
This (colorized badly) episode of The Naked City comes to mind since it involves scrapping an ocean liner. It plays better in black and white and is a favorite of mine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jxCbGD30L8
At least the ship had some screen time in Catalina Caper.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalina_Caper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GDkvSI3ZIM
“From the photo it doesn’t appear the outraged history lovers supported the upkeep of the ship very well.”
Precisely. Sad, but true.
The current “outrage” is just clickbait. Attempts to save the ship were going on for years but didnt succeed for a lot of reasons. Preserving a big ship is a very expensive proposition.
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