Reunion and Renewal

The SS United States reunion and celebration will also mark the launch of an exciting new effort to promote the historic legacy of the SS United States, the largest and fastest ocean liner ever built on our shores. The SS United States Conservancy, an initiative of the SS United States Preservation Society, represents a new national effort to work on behalf of the SS United States. The SS United States Preservation Society, which was founded in 1992 with the goal of introducing Congressional legislation to protect the SS United States from destruction, played a lead role in raising public awareness of the ship's plight and securing the ship's listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

The new SS United States Conservancy will partner with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) in preserving the ship's unique and storied history. NCL purchased the SS United States in April 2003 and has initiated a nine-month feasibility study on converting the liner back to active passenger service. NCL recognizes that it has acquired the crown jewel of the American merchant marine and shares the Conservancy's goals of preserving and celebrating the ship's historic legacy as it works to revitalize the vessel to meet current government regulations and cruise market standards

Click the image above to send an email to info@ssunitedstatesconservancy.org

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Crew and Officers of the SS UNITED STATES launch a motorized lifeboat to assist a vessel in distress. Photo courtesy of Maire Apiou.

  SSUS Conservancy Efforts

The SS United States Conservancy and NCL have begun collaborating on several fronts. Preliminary design work has begun on a large informational sign to be placed prominently at the ship's current home at Philadelphia's Pier 82, the site of growing local commerce and interest in the ship's history and status. Work is also underway on collecting oral histories of shipbuilders and crew and collecting footage for a film documentary. The Conservancy has also started to catalogue SS United States holdings in various museums and private collections around the nation and explore the design and development of a traveling exhibit featuring the SS United States.

Thank you so much for your ongoing interest in and support of the SS United States.

With our best wishes,

Richard April - Bangor, Maine
Bill DiBenedetto - Raleigh, North Carolina
Susan Gibbs - Washington, DC
Jeff Henry - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dan McSweeney - Washington, DC
John Milligan - Houston, Texas
Greg Norris - Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Mark Perry - Los Angeles, California
Richard Rabbett - Boston, Massachusetts

  Come aboard with the SSUSC

Over the coming months, the SS United States Conservancy (SSUSC) will announce more exciting initiatives on behalf of the SS United States. On October 2, we will launch an exciting new website at www.ssunitedstatesconservancy.org. In the interim, we encourage anyone interested in learning more about the great ship to join the SS United States Group on Yahoo.com. This real-time discussion forum has over 500 members comprised of SS United States crew, builders, former passengers and Big U enthusiasts.

To join, the Yahoo forum please go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ssunitedstates
and click on "join".

If anyone who would like to learn more about the Conservancy's efforts on behalf of the SS United States or join us in our efforts, please contact us at 617-320-8459 or info@ssunitedstatesconservancy.org.

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