We're celebrating the inspiring legacy of America’s Flagship, the SS United States. Learn more about our future museum, collections, and digital exhibitions at ssusc.org. Our newest exhibition, "Food Tastes Better at Sea" is available now!

2/2 These shards include pieces of plates, cups, and bowls, all stamped with the signature pottery mark of Mayer China.

🧵1/ When plates broke on the SS United States, crew members would simply throw them overboard. Conservancy supporter Stephanie May donated her incredible collection of sea pottery shards to us, which she found between 2001-2017 on the Southampton beaches.

Alexanderson is buried in Parklawn Memorial Park in Hampton, Virginia.

Today the @SSUSC remembers Commodore Leroy J. Alexanderson, the final master of the Big U, who passed away #onthisdate 21-years-ago. As part of the Heritage Program hosted by the Hampton Roads Chapter in 2022, members gathered to pay their respects to Commodore Alexanderson.

If you'd be willing to share this video and your story with the Conservancy, please email [email protected].

4/4 I was in Philadelphia the other month and as we went along the expressway, pointed out the ship to my wife and kids as the ship in my collection - it really is amazing to see up close!”

3/ - love all the photos and narrative in this book!! Jim continued, “I was very lucky to find a Mercator model of the SS United States on eBay - as these are quite rare. It now stands front and center with the other ships of my ‘fleet’.

2/ I became fascinated with the Big U after reading ‘A Man And His Ship’ and the story of William Francis Gibbs - his vision and ultimate creation. It’s a great story and I recently added another book, ‘The SS United States - an Operational Guide’ to my library

🧵1/ Supporter Jim E. recently shared, “I’ve always been interested in historic ocean liners since my younger days and a few years ago, I started collecting Mercator die cast models of a variety of ships.

5/5 found a handmade model in dilapidated condition at a flea market. I snatched it up and restored it. The SS United States will forever be a part of our family legacy.”

4/ new husband to the orange orchards of California. She was sick at sea and spent most of the freezing cold days outside to get fresh air. My Dad bought the plastic model after arriving home and built it for my Mom as a gift from their honeymoon. My husband and I also

3/ a much younger than him Austrian nanny to the Ambassador of the United States (and who was a child survivor of the war in East Germany). In March of that year, 69 years ago, my parents boarded the SS United States where my mother said goodbye to her homeland to follow her

2/ I facetiously said to my husband, ‘What ship is that? The Titanic resurrected?’ We wound our way down to the dock and my eyes must have bugged out of my head when I recognized it! My Dad was a foreign diplomat on January 23, 1956, when he married my Mom,

🧵1/Supporter Kathy B. recently shared this incredible collection of ephemera and mementos from her parents’ crossing on the Big U. Kathy said, “I’ll never forget the day we were driving through Philly after attending an Army-Navy game and, in the distance, I saw the smokestacks.

2/2 I was able to go visit the ship a couple years ago and it was such an impressive thing to see in person. I drew the front view one in 2022 and the side view one in 2024."

🧵1/2 Young artist Rory Pugh (@rorypugh_art) recently shared this drawing he made of the SS United States, after seeing our ongoing #ModelMonday series. Rory wrote, "I've always been fascinated by ocean liners and the SS United States quickly became my favorite.

The SS United States is lit up in red, white, and blue on what is likely her last night in Philadelphia, where she has called home since July 1996. 🇺🇲

UPDATE: After careful consideration and out of an abundance of caution, Florida's Okaloosa County has announced that the departure of the SS United States from Philadelphia has been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 19, 2025 due to continued high wind conditions.

2/2 plus then-Senator John F. Kennedy and future President Bill Clinton all walked the decks of the SS United States during her service career. (Photo courtesy of John Gustave Kunze.)