the big 'u' | SS United States (Philadelphia, PA)

"The "Big U" sailed up the Hudson River on June 23, 1952 to berth at pier 86 amidst a tumultuous six hour ovation that began with escort vessels - including four United States Navy destroyers - joining her 150 miles offshore as she steamed past the Ambrose lightship and culminated with a ticker tape rainstorm from Midtown skyscraper windows while Uncle Sam's newest floating ambassador was nudged into her wharf at West 46th Street. That the interest of the nation was upon her was evident by the fact that over 20,000 visitors stood in line for up to five hours in order to have a look around the interiors that Dorothy had brought to life aboard the new ocean flyer while another 70,000 people filed through the dockside just to get a close-up view of her gleaming exterior."

Quote from A Woman's Touch: The Seagoing Interiors of Dorothy Marckwald by Gordon R. Ghareeb

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The SS United States is a chapter in my book, Abandoned America: Dismantling the Dream.
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