The colors were bright and the smiles wide as SS UNITED STATES crew members met in Nags Head, North Carolina, Saturday, October 2, 2004. With the SS UNITED STATES currently awaiting a renewal - the next best place in the world for a crew reunion had to be the Windmill
Point Restaurant in Nags Head.
This exciting reunion and gathering of crew, designers and friends of the SS UNITED STATES was organized by the new SS UNITED STATES Conservancy (SSUSC) to honor those who served aboard, helped build or designed the monumental Big U. Also in attendance was NCL
America - the new owners of the vessel.
Attendance exceeded
expectations with more than 100 guests
packing the Windmill Restaurant and enjoying
a reception in the restaurant's SS UNITED
STATES Lounge.
Click
here to learn
more about about Windmill Point Restaurant.
Click
here to read the
news article about the Reunion published
by the Outer Banks Sentinel.
Nick Landiak and his family - among
many Big U friends Saturday night
Walking into the restaurant is a rewarding experience for fans of the ship. You're surrounded by the Big U. The furniture, decor, the photographs and exhibits... well it is 100% SS UNITED STATES. And, t works - the feeling is genuine and the staff exceptionally warm - reflecting the style and grace of the Windmill's founder, Dr. Sarah Forbes.
Pictured at top and on
the web site cover page: The highest
ranking officer in attendance... Nick Landiak
- in his Executive Engineer uniform - with Marie
his wife, and their daughters Karen
and Marilyn.
Big U Career: Nick
served on the Big U as 2nd Ass't Engineer beginning
in
January
1952.
Before
year's
end he was promoted to 1st Ass't Engineer and
served as first engineer and relieving Executive
Chief Engineer until the SS UNITED STATES was
retired in 1969. At the Windmill Point Reunion
Nick wears his Executive Engineer's uniform.
In the course of the celebration there were announcements from NCL, colorful video presentations and awards of recognition. The SS UNITED STATES Conservancy also announced for formal launch of its web site at ssunitedstatesconservancy.org.
Come aboard and enjoy just a
few of the many great moments that made this
a unique and memorable night. On the following
page, click any image to see an enlarged view...